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I hope that the discovery of vaccines like this increase in frequency over time. I'm not sure if that IS the case, but I'd really like it to be so that one day

I hope that the discovery of vaccines like this increase in frequency over time. I'm not sure if that IS the case, but I'd really like it to be so that one day soon AIDS and Cancer are as benign as Polio.

sethbannon 15y ago
I, for one, believe they will.
sliverstorm 15y ago
Small note: cancer is not a disease, so it cannot be vaccinated against
- ars 15y ago
  I think you need to clarify that sentence. Do you mean cancer isn't caused by a pathogen? Because that isn't true for some cancers, and there are suggestions that all cancers are caused by viruses. And cancer vaccines do exist, but they need to be individually created for each case.
  - sliverstorm 15y ago
    You are correct. My mistakes.
  - hugh3 15y ago
    Are there any examples of cancers caused by viruses apart from HPV? Certainly it can't be true that all cancers are caused by viruses, can it? For instance, some cancers are caused by radiation.
    - ars 15y ago
      There are plenty of examples: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncovirus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncovirus and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HHV-8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HHV-8 I guess not all are caused, but perhaps I can rephrase as all can be caused? It's only suggestions that this is the case, but it's not actually known yet. I certainly don't know. This: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Virus#Viral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Virus#Viral says that 12% of cancers are caused by viruses. The true number may be a lot higher since more viruses are being discovered all the time. But even 12% is a lot if someone were able to make a vaccine for them.
- artsrc 15y ago
  From a definitional point of view, according to google define:cancer, cancer is - "The disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body." From a practical point of view what would you call an agent which stimulates the immune system to attack cancerous cells?
  - sliverstorm 15y ago
    Hmm... You are correct, the book definitions seem to indicate cancer is a disease, and that you could vaccinate against cancer. I struggle with such usage of the words, perhaps as I tend to use "malaise" in place of "disease" for anything not caused by a pathogen. If we are to get deeper into the book definition, so long as you can stimulate production of antibodies that identify cancer cells, you have made a vaccine.
    - natrius 15y ago
      I think the term you're looking for is "infectious disease".
    - losvedir 15y ago
      I've heard people call Dendreon's new prostate cancer therapy, Provenge, a "vaccine". Interestingly, the official website doesn't mention it, but the description of it does sound sort of vaccine-like in a lot of ways: "PROVENGE is the only FDA-approved autologous cellular immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant (hormone refractory) prostate cancer. PROVENGE is designed to work differently from hormone therapy or chemotherapy. By stimulating the natural ability of your body’s immune cells to target and attack advanced prostate cancer, PROVENGE may help you live longer."
- dalke 15y ago
  The term "cancer", while often used in the singular, covers a large number of diseases. Some of which we can vaccinate against.

sethbannon 15y ago

I, for one, believe they will.

sliverstorm 15y ago

Small note: cancer is not a disease, so it cannot be vaccinated against

ars 15y ago
I think you need to clarify that sentence. Do you mean cancer isn't caused by a pathogen? Because that isn't true for some cancers, and there are suggestions that all cancers are caused by viruses. And cancer vaccines do exist, but they need to be individually created for each case.
- sliverstorm 15y ago
  You are correct. My mistakes.
- hugh3 15y ago
  Are there any examples of cancers caused by viruses apart from HPV? Certainly it can't be true that all cancers are caused by viruses, can it? For instance, some cancers are caused by radiation.
  - ars 15y ago
    There are plenty of examples: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncovirus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncovirus and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HHV-8 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HHV-8 I guess not all are caused, but perhaps I can rephrase as all can be caused? It's only suggestions that this is the case, but it's not actually known yet. I certainly don't know. This: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Virus#Viral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Virus#Viral says that 12% of cancers are caused by viruses. The true number may be a lot higher since more viruses are being discovered all the time. But even 12% is a lot if someone were able to make a vaccine for them.
artsrc 15y ago
From a definitional point of view, according to google define:cancer, cancer is - "The disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body." From a practical point of view what would you call an agent which stimulates the immune system to attack cancerous cells?
- sliverstorm 15y ago
  Hmm... You are correct, the book definitions seem to indicate cancer is a disease, and that you could vaccinate against cancer. I struggle with such usage of the words, perhaps as I tend to use "malaise" in place of "disease" for anything not caused by a pathogen. If we are to get deeper into the book definition, so long as you can stimulate production of antibodies that identify cancer cells, you have made a vaccine.
  - natrius 15y ago
    I think the term you're looking for is "infectious disease".
  - losvedir 15y ago
    I've heard people call Dendreon's new prostate cancer therapy, Provenge, a "vaccine". Interestingly, the official website doesn't mention it, but the description of it does sound sort of vaccine-like in a lot of ways: "PROVENGE is the only FDA-approved autologous cellular immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant (hormone refractory) prostate cancer. PROVENGE is designed to work differently from hormone therapy or chemotherapy. By stimulating the natural ability of your body’s immune cells to target and attack advanced prostate cancer, PROVENGE may help you live longer."
dalke 15y ago
The term "cancer", while often used in the singular, covers a large number of diseases. Some of which we can vaccinate against.