Health & Lifestyle · 4 Beginner · October 24, 2026
New Cancer Vaccine Shows Promising Results
Photo: Artem Podrez via Pexels
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Vocabulary
vaccinevækˈsinnoun
a medical treatment that helps your body fight disease by teaching your immune system to recognize and attack harmful cells or germs
Scientists made a new vaccine for cancer patients.
immune systemɪˈmjun ˈsɪstəmnoun phrase
the body's natural defense system that protects you from illness and disease
The vaccine teaches the immune system to attack cancer cells.
melanomaməˈlænəməʊnoun
a serious type of skin cancer that can spread to other parts of the body
Tony Chapman had skin cancer called melanoma.
came backkeɪm ˈbækphrasal verb
returned or appeared again after disappearing or being treated
Doctors removed his cancer, but it came back.
cancer-freeˈkænsər friadjective
no longer having cancer in the body
Three years later, Tony is cancer-free.
checkstʃɛksnoun
medical examinations to see if someone is healthy or if a condition has returned
He gets checks every six months.
Article
Scientists made a new vaccine for cancer patients. The vaccine helps the body fight cancer. It works with another medicine called Keytruda. In a big test, 1,100 patients took these treatments. The patients who got the vaccine did better. Their cancer was less likely to come back.
How does the vaccine work?
The vaccine is special for each patient. Doctors look at the patient's own cancer cells. They use this information to make a vaccine. The vaccine teaches the body to find cancer. It teaches the immune system to attack cancer cells. This is new and exciting science.
A patient's story
Tony Chapman had skin cancer called melanoma. Doctors removed his cancer, but it came back. He joined the vaccine study in the hospital. Three years later, Tony is cancer-free. He gets checks every six months. The doctors do not know if he got the real vaccine or a fake one.
Discussion Questions
What does the new vaccine do?
How is this vaccine different from other medicines?
Why did Tony join the study?
Do you think this vaccine is important? Why?
What question would you ask a doctor about this vaccine?