Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world, with almost 10 million deaths recorded in 2020 alone. In 2022, there were almost 20 million new cases of the disease. It’s, therefore, no surprise that scientists and researchers are constantly looking for new and effective treatments to deal with cancer. Thankfully, there have been some truly innovative advances in cancer research recently. These new treatments could offer hope and a new lease on life to potentially millions of people around the world. Let’s find out more about the 12 most promising and groundbreaking advances in cancer research.
Cancer Treatment That Takes Mere Minutes to Administer
The NHS in England will be the first to offer a cancer treatment injection that takes just seven minutes to administer. This would potentially replace the hour-long IV infusion that people currently need to endure. The drug used for this treatment, Atezolizumab, has been shown to be effective against breast and lung cancer. The trial so far has been so effective that the majority of the 3,600 people currently receiving it intravenously will now swap over to the seven-minute jab instead.
Test Capable of Identifying 18 Early-Stage Cancers
A promising new blood test has been developed in the United States that can detect 18 different early-stage cancers. It does this by analyzing a patient’s protein levels, offering individuals a more affordable and far less invasive option. They gave the test to 440 people who had already been diagnosed with cancer to check how accurate it was at picking up the disease. The test managed to identify 93% of various stage-one cancers in men and 84% in women.
Personalized Vaccines
Personalized cancer vaccines could soon become available to NHS patients in the United Kingdom. These vaccines have the ability to train the immune system to target cancer cells. The aim is to reduce the chance of recurrence with fewer side effects than are typically associated with chemotherapy. New mRNA Trials are currently underway involving over 200 participants from five different countries. There are a total of 30 hospitals taking part in this trial, and it is expected to wrap up in 2027. This could represent one of the major advances in cancer research.
Precision Oncology
Precision oncology has been hailed by many experts as a powerful new cancer-fighting tool. It tailors a patient’s treatment by analyzing a tumor’s specific genetic makeup. This method targets certain cellular changes that drive cancer development. This allows for far more personalized treatments, which makes them less harmful to the patient. The 100,000 Genomes Project by the NHS studied over 13,000 tumor samples and used genomic data to improve treatment accuracy.
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Enhanced Prediction Abilities
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the United States. This is because it is very often difficult to detect in the early stages with standard scans. However, MIT scientists have now developed an AI model called Sybil. Impressively, it can predict lung cancer risk up to six years in advance using low-dose CT scans that identify early signs that are invisible to doctors. This breakthrough can help with both short and long-term forecasts, potentially transforming early detection and saving millions of lives.
Using AI In the Battle Against Cancer
World Economic Forum partners in India are taking advantage of emerging technologies such as AI to revolutionize cancer treatment. For instance, AI-based risk profiling may assist in the early detection of common malignancies such as breast cancer. This technology additionally has the potential to analyze X-rays and detect cancer in areas where imaging experts are not present. These advances in cancer research represent just two of 18 potential cancer interventions that the Forum plans to accelerate.
Synthetic and Liquid Biopsies
Biopsies are the most common way doctors diagnose cancer. However, this procedure is invasive and requires the removal of a portion of tissue from the body. This is sometimes performed surgically so that it can subsequently be evaluated in a laboratory. Liquid biopsies are a less intrusive method of testing blood samples for symptoms of malignancy. Synthetic biopsies are another advancement that can drive cancer cells to expose themselves in the early stages of the disease.
Studying the DNA of Cancer
Scientists at Cambridge University Hospitals are studying tumor DNA from 12,000 cancer patients to determine the etiology of the disease. They examine genomic data to find specific mutations associated with events such as UV exposure, smoking, or internal cell damage. These are often described as “fingerprints in a crime scene.” According to Dr. Andrea Degasperi of Cambridge’s Department of Oncology, the study discovered 58 novel mutational markers. This will help researchers better understand how cancer arises in the first place and help develop further advances in cancer research.
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Cervical Cancer Treatment
Researchers announced a significant breakthrough in cervical cancer treatment in October 2024. It is the largest breakthrough of its kind in the last 20 years. The INTERLACE experiment was undertaken in five different countries. It revealed that providing patients with an initial chemotherapy course before normal treatment lowered the chance of mortality by 40%. Furthermore, it also cut cancer recurrence by 35%. The two medications used are inexpensive and previously approved, indicating that this new strategy could potentially become a global standard soon.
The Battle Against Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the worst cancers you can get and is generally diagnosed too late. This means that people typically have a five-year survival rate of less than 5%. UC San Diego researchers have now developed a test that detects 95% of early infections using biomarkers in extracellular vesicles. A new test, PAC-MANN, may be able to diagnose the disease from a single drop of blood. Meanwhile, a study conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom revealed how pancreatic cancer inhibits crucial gene molecules, raising hopes for more effective future treatments.
CAR-T-cell Therapy
CAR-T-cell therapy modifies a patient’s immune cells to seek and destroy cancer, has proven long-term success in leukemia cases. Some patients are still in remission more than a decade later, including one woman who was treated 19 years ago. However, the FDA is reviewing over 30 cases of secondary malignancies that could be linked to the medication. It still remains unknown whether CAR-T is to blame. However, warning labels have now been added as a precautionary measure during ongoing research.
Breast Cancer Risk Lowering Tablet
Anastrozole is a drug that was previously used to treat breast cancer and works by lowering estrogen levels. It is now being tested in nearly 300,000 high-risk women in the NHS. Whereas wealthier countries have far more diagnoses, low- and middle-income countries have higher death rates due to limited care. Around the world, 70% of cancer deaths occur in these regions, illustrating the major disparities regarding healthcare access.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is for information only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about your medical condition and/or current medication. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking advice or treatment because of something you have read here.
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