What are cancer 'vaccines' and will they revolutionise treatment?

What are cancer 'vaccines' and will they revolutionise treatment?

Author: The Hindu September 5, 2026 Duration: 32:46
There’s been a lot of excitement in the cancer research field recently. Preliminary results from a trial with patients who had melanoma or skin cancer, showed that a ‘cancer vaccine’ had been successful in reducing the recurrence of melanoma tumours. This vaccine, called instamaren autogene, is based on mRNA technology – the same tech that was used to manufacture Covid vaccines during the pandemic. A number of other trials across the world are also looking into how mRNA vaccines can help prevent the recurrence of certain hard-to-treat cancers. So what are these new therapies and what cancer do they treat? Why are they called vaccines when they don’t actually prevent cancer? How does mRNA tech work and how is AI helpful in this? Will these personalised treatments be available in India any time soon and how expensive will they be? Guest: Dr. Narayana Subramaniam, Lead Consultant, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, Aster Hospitals, and Adjunct Faculty at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week, the journalists at In Focus by The Hindu select one pressing story from the news cycle and slow it down. Rather than a rapid headline, you’ll hear a thoughtful conversation that unpacks the layers behind an event-the historical precedents, the economic forces, the political nuances, and the human impact. This podcast relies on conversations with reporters who have been on the ground and specialists who have spent years, sometimes decades, studying a particular issue. The result is a clearer, more substantive understanding of what’s happening in India and around the world. You might explore the roots of a regional conflict one episode, and dive into the complexities of a new environmental policy the next. It’s designed for anyone who feels that the daily news skim leaves too many questions unanswered. Tune in for a consistent, deep-dive format that prioritizes context over instant reaction, making sense of the week’s most significant developments through careful analysis and expert insight.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

In Focus by The Hindu
Podcast Episodes
Bonus episode: How the UAE projects power across the Gulf and beyond [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:21
In this special bonus episode at In Focus we have a special crossover episode featuring the Hindu's Global Faultlines podcast with Sharmada Venkatasubramanian and Stanly Johny. The UAE has emerged as one of the most infl…
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Duration: 37:19
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Duration: 34:32
The recent BRICS summit in New Delhi, held under India’s presidency, brought together an expanded grouping at a time of major geopolitical and economic shifts. The summit sought to deepen cooperation among its members wh…
Iran takes escalation dominance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:29
The Iran war has entered another dangerous phase, with the confrontation between Tehran and Washington increasingly spilling into the Persian Gulf. Iran has stepped up attacks on shipping around the Strait of Hormuz, whi…
Should the use of Gen AI be banned among younger students in schools? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:30
Recently, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a one-year moratorium on generative AI tools for public school students through Class 8 for the 2026-27 academic year. Officials argued that young children require h…