A Therapeutic Vaccine For Advanced Prostate Cancer

Provenge, the first therapeutic vaccine, has been approved by the FDA for metastatic prostate cancer and will be available within the next year to patients who meet the criteria for advanced prostate cancer. The vaccine is different from preventive vaccines which are given to stimulate the immune system to protect people from getting a disease. A therapeutic vaccine is given to help boost the body’s immune system in order to fight specific cancer cells – in this case prostate cancer cells.