Innovative cancer vaccines are revolutionizing immunotherapy by harnessing the immune system to target tumors. These vaccines, including peptide-based, DNA, and mRNA platforms, are designed to stimulate immune responses against cancer-specific antigens. Advances in personalized neoantigen vaccines offer tailored approaches for individual patients, improving efficacy. At the Cancer Research and Development Conference 2025, we will discuss how these novel cancer vaccines promise to prevent cancer recurrence, enhance existing therapies, and provide a proactive defence against malignancies.