A scientist whose lung cancer was detected by doctors “by coincidence” has become the first person in the UK to receive a vaccine for the disease. Janusz Racz, 67, is taking part in a trial of the jab which is designed to help the immune system recognise and fight lung cancer. He expressed his hopes of getting back to running once his treatment is over, with ambitions to complete the London Marathon.
The vaccine, known as BNT116 and made by BioNTech , works by priming the patient’s immune system to recognise and fight tumour markers created by non-small cell lung cancer. The process leaves healthy cells untouched, unlike chemotherapy. BNT116 is based on mRNA, the same technology used in the Covid-19 vaccine.
Mr Racz, who is originally from Poland but has lived in London for 10 years, received six injections five minutes apart over a half-hour period at the National Institute for Health Research UCLH Clinical Research Facility on Tuesday. Each jab contained different RNA strands. He will get the vaccine every week for six consecutive weeks, and then every three weeks for a total of 54 weeks.
Mr Racz, who specialises in artificial intelligence (AI), told the PA news agency his profession is the main reason he wanted to take part in the study. “The main reason is that I am a scientist too, and I understand that the progress of science – especially in medicine – lies in people agreeing to be involved in such investigations,” he said. “It would be very beneficial f.