Vaccinology fighting against neoplasms

In recent years intensive research on producing and functioning of vaccines, as well as development in modern methods of molecular biology, immunology and biotechnology enabled starting research on unusual usage of those and involve vaccinology as a branch of science to fight against neoplasms. Neoplasms are leading causes of death in Poland and in the world. Due to aging of societies and negative influences related to carcinogens in industrialized environment, neoplasms become social diseases, similarly to cardiovascular diseases. It should be noted that modern treatment of neoplasms has also economical aspects – direct costs, which include health care system expenditures on neoplasms treatment are growing, and additionally there is a real problem of indirect costs, which include increase in sick leaves, costs of long rehabilitation and pensions. A vaccine, as medical agent, which cases minimal adverse effects, in contrast to traditional anti-neoplasmatic treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy) would give people an extensive advantage in this unequal struggle, and affect the epidemiological situation in the world. The present investigations of anti-neoplasmatic vaccines are heading for two directions and two kinds of vaccines could be distinguished: prophylactic vaccines – preventing the neoplasm, and therapeutic, which are to be used in reduction and elimination of existing neoplasmatic lesions by stimulating the host immunological system to identify neoplasmatic antigens and, in consequence, fight neoplasmatic lesions. Authors made an attempt to present new trends and accomplishments in this matter.