Therapeutic Antibodies and Cancer Vaccines

Antibodies are proteins synthesized in blood against specific antigens. Antigen binding causes activation, proliferation and differentiation of the B cells. After activation, B cells becomes plasma cells and secrete antibodies. Therapeutic antibodies are monoclonal antibodies and use as passive immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. It is well established option in clinical oncology. Anticancer vaccines are less advanced because of some exception of successfully applied prophylactic vaccines against oncogenic virus infections. The formation of therapeutic vaccine is still a great challenge due to the self nature of tumor antigens. Therapeutic antibodies as vaccines against cancer are produced in healthy cells by using cancer antigens and use for the patient to treat existing cancer by strengthening the natural defense of the body against cancer.