Shereene IdrissBoard Certified Derm, Founder and Chief Nerd

A New Cancer Vaccine May Prevent Melanoma From Coming Back?! — Doctor Explains

27 Aug 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:16

In this video, Shereene Idriss explains how the same mRNA technology that powered COVID‑19 vaccines is being repurposed into a personalized cancer vaccine. Moderna and Merck completed a large phase‑3 trial in patients with resected melanoma: each patient’s tumor DNA was sequenced, unique mutations were identified, and a custom mRNA vaccine was manufactured to train the immune system to recognize those mutations. When the vaccine was given together with the checkpoint inhibitor Keytruda, patients experienced significantly longer recurrence‑free survival compared with standard therapy, indicating a strong anti‑tumor immune response. Idriss highlights that the platform is being explored for other hard‑to‑treat cancers such as breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer, suggesting a future of individualized oncology. She also notes the paradox that while mRNA research is advancing, political figures like RFK Jr. and former President Trump have proposed cutting hundreds of millions from mRNA vaccine research, even as massive defense funding is allocated elsewhere. The overall message is that personalized mRNA cancer vaccines are nearing clinical reality despite political headwinds.

Chapters

If the words mRNA and vaccine are still some of the most controversial words for you, you're gonna have to catch up because it turns out that that same technology that everybody argued about might be your answer to personalized cancer treatments. Moderna and Merck just announced the results of a very large phase 3 clinical trial for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, where they took the patient's cancer, analyzed the DNA, identified mutations unique to that tumor, and created a personalized mRNA vaccine to teach the patient's own immune system what to attack. Kind of like giving a bloodhound a scent so that that bloodhound knows exactly what to find and how to kill it. And when you combine that vaccine with Keytruda, which is a medication that will take the brakes off your immune system so your immune system can work more efficiently, patients lived significantly longer without their cancer returning or spreading. It's not a full cure for cancer, but what is fascinating is that this approach is being used for other cancers as well. Can you guys imagine breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, which my grandmother had, being able to be treated in a personalized way? Which makes the timing of this whole thing almost absurd, because while mRNA technology may be opening the door to personalized cancer treatment, our buddy RFK Jr. and Trump have been cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from mRNA vaccine research. But it's okay because we found a trillion dollars for the Department of War. Personalized cancer vaccines, I think, are closer than we think.