Cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world. That is why medical scientists have been aggressively trying to get some major breakthroughs so that they can find a permanent cure for the various types of cancer that has been killing people every year.
Over the years, medical experts have been able to come up with some advanced treatments that have successfully treated millions of people and freed them from cancer.
Here are some of the major breakthroughs that support the fight against cancer:
Precision Oncology
The newest weapon against cancer is precision oncology. While chemotherapy and radiation have been the conventional treatments, the approach of precision oncology is different and involves understanding the genetic makeup and the molecular characteristics of the cancer cells in patients.
Based on the study personalized treatments are developed that target only the cancerous cells instead of healthy cells as is the case with chemotherapy.
Fighting cancer with AI
Indian medical experts have now started using emerging technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence for bringing a transformation in cancer care.
AI-based screens are being used for detecting and diagnosing early-stage cancers like breast cancer. This technology is also being used for analyzing X-rays that identify cancers.
DNA data analysis
Some of the leading hospitals in England are analyzing the genome DNA data of cancer patients and accordingly they are identifying the causes behind malfunctions inside the cell that are leading to cancer tumours.
Liquid and synthetic biopsies
Cancer is diagnosed through biopsies. Since it is an invasive treatment, it involves removing a small section of tissue from the affected area of the body. Many times there is no option but to do the removal process surgically.
However, nowadays, liquid and synthetic biopsies are being used for cancer detection which is much easier and less invasive. In liquid biopsy blood samples are used for testing the signs of this disease.
Synthetic biopsies force cancer cells to show their presence during the earliest stage.
CART—T- cell therapy
It is a type of treatment in which immune cells try to find cancer cells and kill them. It has been successful in a few leukemia patients and it kills cancer cells by genetically altering the composition of immune cells that are called T cells in the body of cancer patients.
These altered cells produce chimeric antigen receptors or CARs which are a type of protein. These proteins identify the cancer cells and kill them.