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#ExplainLikeImFive

Could somebody explain to me what a PVC (Personalized Cancer Vaccine) is? Like what is the personalized part in there? Is there really a realistic scenario in which we'll get some regular vaccination and then we'll be cancer free in the future?

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Ok, so cancer is essentially a blanket term for describing that you have a group of cells in your body doing uncontrollable runaway mitosis (replicating themselves). But the thing is that it's caused by hundreds of different mutations to your cells in thousands of combinations. So developing a single way to combat all of this is super hard. But if we can identify your particular set of mutations and train your body to attack cells with those, we can get rid of your cancer and prevent it from returning. There are a few strategies for this and it's how some of the most incredible cancer therapies of the last few years work...those are just only applicable to certain very specific mutations.

Thank you very much

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