By Veronica Maciag

August has long been recognized as National Immunization Awareness month. This observance, powered by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), works to emphasize the importance of vaccinations for people of all ages. Though many believe that vaccinations become negligible after your childhood or teenage years, there are actually a variety of immunizations to keep in mind throughout your life.

 

With this in mind, in April of 2023, the Cleveland Clinic released a comprehensive guide to some of the most significant vaccinations to get by age. A brief overview of immunizations for ages 1-16 is provided in the graph.

 

After one’s teenage years, these requirements are much less rigid. Rather, there are just a standard few which you should stay up to date with. Primarily, maintaining proper doses of the Chickenpox, Hepatitis B, HPV (human papillomavirus), MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and TD (tetanus and diphtheria) vaccines is heavily recommended for those 19 and up. Here, though, rather than adding new immunizations as one does in childhood, this just ensures upkeep to stay as protected as possible.

 

Yet, the Cleveland Clinic has done more than just inform about the significance of receiving immunizations. Recently, it has been making significant breakthroughs in the pool of immunizations available. One notable story of such lies with prior patient Jennifer Davis.

 

In 2018, Davis was officially diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer– this news was what ultimately led her to the Cleveland Clinic. As this form of cancer’s treatment is very limited, and in some cases impossible, Davis started exploring unique options. Luckily, Cleveland Clinic had just begun a novel new study which aimed to aid, and eventually prevent, triple-negative breast cancer. The vaccine was designed to work by targeting lactic proteins to prompt the immune system to attack the tumor at first, or any, sign of the cancer. 

Photo From Cleveland Clinic

So, two years later in 2021, Davis opted to be the first to try this study. Participants in this phase– 1a– are patients who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation and are currently tumor-free but at high risk for recurrence. With this treatment, Davis received three total doses of the immunization, each 2 weeks apart. Though she was the first participant, the Cleveland Clinic’s efforts were successful and Davis has now been cancer free for 2 years!

 

From their success in 2021, Cleveland Clinic researchers have worked to push the limits of this vaccine even further. Now, in February 2023 they have officially launched the next step of this immunization– phase 1b. Partnered with Anixa Biosciences Inc, the phase has expanded to include individuals who are cancer-free but at high risk for breast cancer development. With this diversified pool, Cleveland Clinic is on the way to becoming the first to develop an immunization that preliminarily prevents, and may eventually be led to cure, triple-negative breast cancer. 

 

As a whole, bringing awareness to Cleveland Clinic’s immunization efforts is just one of the many benefits National Immunization Month has to offer. Additionally, it functions as an opportunity to explore and appreciate just how far development and advancement of immunizations has come, and continues to improve every year. Not only this but it proves as a general reminder to maintain vaccinations and highlights their importance; without vaccinations, infectious diseases that once proved deadly can now be beaten effortlessly, while other advancements are being made– as shown by stories like Davis’.