Cancer vaccines could transform treatment and prevention – but misinformation about mRNA vaccines threatens their potential

Scientists are making rapid progress toward a long-awaited goal that could help to reshape cancer care: mRNA cancer vaccines^[1] with the potential to significantly boost the immune system’s ability^[2] to fight and eliminate tumors^[3].

Since the early 2000s, there have been over 120 promising clinical trials^[4] testing the use of mRNA vaccines to treat multiple cancer types, such as melanoma^[5], brain^[6], breast^[7], lung^[8] and prostate^[9] cancer.

At the same time, misinformation about so-called turbo cancer^[10] began spreading widely on social media, with mainstream media outlets first reporting^[11] on it in late 2022. Turbo cancer refers to the false claim^[12] that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines cause unusually aggressive cancers.

As a researcher in^[13] health communication^[14] who monitors cancer-related conversations online^[15], I have seen how quickly new misinformation can spread and the impact it can have on people’s health decisions. In the case of mRNA cancer vaccines, this false narrative could undermine public confidence in an important tool that may help prevent or treat cancer in the future.

Cancer research and mRNA vaccines

Most people likely first heard about mRNA technology^[16] through COVID-19 vaccines, but scientists have been studying it for decades^[17].

How mRNA vaccines work^[18] is by delivering instructions that prompt the body’s cells to make specific proteins. This process teaches the immune system how to recognize and attack those proteins. In cancer research, scientists can design highly targeted vaccines^[19] that train the immune system to find tumor cells and more effectively kill them without harming healthy cells.

One example of this potential comes from studies on glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor^[20] with few effective treatments. Researchers have found that a personalized mRNA vaccine^[21] can rapidly activate people’s immune systems against this type of brain cancer and improve survival.

The body of evidence that mRNA vaccines can transform how researchers harness the immune system to treat cancer^[22] is growing. However, even the most promising medical advances can only improve health if people are willing to use them.

Rise of the ‘turbo cancer’ narrative

“Turbo cancer^[23]” is a term often used by anti-vaccine advocates who claim – without credible evidence – that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are causing unusually aggressive cancers.

This inaccurate narrative has trickled into the mainstream news. In September 2025, a controversial U.K. cardiologist claimed that the COVID-19 vaccine contributed to the royal family’s recent cancer diagnoses, spurring immediate backlash from the medical community^[24]. Although uncommon, some public figures and health professionals have claimed that the vaccines could cause cancer despite ample contradictory evidence^[25], often by misinterpreting or misrepresenting studies.

Health misinformation^[26] can be described as false or misleading health-related claims^[27] shared with the public that are not supported by scientific evidence, are based on unverified personal stories or are opinions presented as facts. For example, while tracking discussions about the HPV vaccine across social media platforms, my team and I found that safety fears, mistrust of authority and conspiracy claims^[28] were widespread online.

Vaccine misinformation accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic^[29], causing what researchers call an infodemic^[30]: the rapid spread of both accurate and false health information during a public health crisis. The COVID-19 infodemic made it harder for people to find trustworthy guidance and shaped public attitudes toward vaccines.

“Turbo cancer” reflects many of the same patterns and narratives as the COVID-19 infodemic.

In a social listening^[31] study, which involves systematically monitoring online conversations about different topics, my team and I observed countless posts about turbo cancer beginning in July 2023 and continuing through early 2026. Many posts rely on emotionally compelling anecdotes, misinterpretations of animal studies, misuse of adverse events reporting and recycled myths that vaccines alter human DNA. Some posts also link rising cancer rates in younger adults^[32] to the COVID-19 vaccine. However, large population studies^[33] have found no increased cancer risk following vaccination.

None of these turbo cancer claims are supported by credible evidence^[34]. But on social media, repetition, personal stories and scientific-sounding language can make misinformation appear legitimate and help it spread quickly^[35].

Cancer vaccine misinformation harms health

At first glance, fringe claims such as turbo cancer may seem easy to dismiss. But research shows that they can have real-world consequences, and cancer-related misinformation can be particularly consequential.

Inaccurate information about cancer treatment is common online, and researchers have shown that it influences patient decisions^[36]. When patients rely on unproven approaches instead of recommended therapies, their risk of death^[37] can increase substantially.

Clinicians are already seeing the effects of misinformation in routine care. Oncologists report^[38] having to address myths or misleading information that patients have encountered, though researchers do not yet know how common these conversations are across cancer care.