We already have a new vaccine for the virus that has been associated with cervical cancer. Now a new vaccine is being tested for prostate cancer. Not yet available in the United States, there are several new vaccines for prostate  cancer in the works.  The idea of these vaccines is to help the body recognize the prostate cancer cells so that when they appear, the body recognizes them, and destroys them before they can cause any mischief.

 Due to early screenings and new therapies, prostate cancer is more preventable and treatable than ever.  In fact, it is recommended that all men age 50 and older get routine prostate cancer screenings. However, even though there have been great strides in prevention and treatment, prostate cancer still ranks number 2 among cancer-related deaths among American men. 

Spiruleucel-T is now being looked at by the FDA. This drug is able to recognize attack cancer cells found in nearly 95% of prostate cancers. Getting this vaccine, unfortunately, is not as easy as going to get your yearly flu shot. The drawback of this vaccine is the cost and trouble associated with giving it. It is a patient-specific vaccine. This means that for each patient, a large amount of blood must be obtained. This blood goes through a process that takes several days, then is reinfused back into the patient. Another vaccine being looked at by the FDA is called GVAX immunotherapy. This vaccine is not patient-specific, which means it does not have the inconvenience associated with it like Spiruleucel-T.

Both of these vaccines are currently still in clinical trials, which means they are being tested for their safety and effectiveness. They have both shown promising preliminary results so far and if approved, should prove to be a valuable tool in the quest to irradicate prostate cancer.