The designation recognizes that the vaccine, an immunotherapy called SurVaxM, would treat a rare disease, defined as one that affects a patient population of less than 200,000 Americans. However, because it acts on a protein that appears in 80 percent of cancers generally, SurVaxM may have wider applications.
Screening cancer caregivers for symptoms of depression could alert them to steps to offset the worsening physical health which caregivers often experience.