Cancer therapy breakthrough linked with COVID-19 vaccines

Des Moines University (DMU) scientists may have discovered a treatment breakthrough for cervical cancer using COVID-19 vaccine spike proteins, according to findings published in a new study.

Why it matters: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of oncological death in women globally.

• Plus, the findings open new avenues for treatment across other types of cancer, too, Yujiang Fang, an associate professor at DMU who spearheaded the research, said in an online statement .

State of play: The research builds on earlier work that demonstrated the protein's ability to diminish certain cancer cells.

How it works: COVID-19 vaccines use spike proteins to help people develop an immune response to the virus.

• A team led by DMU showed they can also arrest the growth of cervical cancer cells and initiate their death, essentially acting like a "stop" signal, per the statement.

Driving the news: The study was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Anticancer Research .

• Earlier DMU research had shown the proteins may also help treat prostate cancer.

Why it matters: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of oncological death in women globally.

• But the findings open new avenues for treatment across other types of cancer too, Yujiang Fang, an associate professor at DMU who spearheaded the research, said in the release.

Zoom in: Iowa has the nation's second-highest cancer rate in the nation.

• An estimated 21,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year, including nearly 3,000 in Polk County, according to the Iowa Cancer Registry.

Reality check: The testing has so far been in labs, and scientists must be very cautious about how the results translate to humans, according to the journal article.

• Further research is "absolutely necessary" to deepen scientists' understanding of the findings' implications, the study concluded.

The study was led by academic pathologist Yujiang Fang (right) and Conner Willson, a 2024 DMU graduate. Photo: Paul Joy/Courtesy of Des Moines University