Scientists have revealed that an experimental vaccine for pancreatic cancer, sometimes the deadliest major cancer, keeps patients alive 6 years after receiving the vaccine. The vaccine, which is personalised for each patient, uses genetic material from their tumors after surgical removal. It teaches the body's immune system to recognize and remember a specific type of cancer, potentially preventing the body from returning disease. The clinical trials for the vaccine have shown that seven patients whose immune systems responded to the vaccine are still alive and well. The findings were reported at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting.