Wellness Corner

We hear a lot about the relationship between tobacco and cancer. Everyone knows that you shouldn't smoke because smoking leads to cancer. So wouldn't you be shocked to find out that researchers are working on a vaccine for cancer which actually includes tobacco as one of the ingredience in the vaccine?!

"Researchers in the US took antibodies from patients with a type of lymphoma, grew them in genetically modified tobacco plants, extracted them, and reinjected the individualized vaccines back into the patients, where in most cases it produced an immune response that helped to fight the cancer." (source)

The truth is that this isn't so shocking after all. Many times the ingredients used in a product don't really have the same effect as they would when used in an entirely different product. What's interesting here is really that researchers even thought to try this! And what's really important to take away from it is the fact that there could one day be a cancer vaccine out there.

Question of the Day: How can tobacco be used to create a cancer vaccine?

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