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Without a doubt, cancer is the scourge of our time.

Everyone has someone they know or a relative who has been diagnosed with some type of cancer. The disruption it causes to people’s lives is enormous. The diagnosis generates anxiety, uncertainty and many question marks. However, the messages of recent years are optimistic.

Why is cancer a difficult opponent?

In reality, cancer is not one but many different diseases that are linked by a common characteristic: cells with damage to their genetic material multiply unnecessarily and continuously, thus damaging healthy human organs. Even one type of cancer, such as breast cancer, has many subdivisions, each of which requires a different treatment. There is also the phenomenon of resistance, i.e. the cancer cell sometimes develops resistance to drugs that were previously effective. All of this contributes to cancer being a difficult opponent.

Can cancer be cured?

It is known that if cancer is diagnosed early, that is, when it is local and has not metastasized, it can be cured surgically. Due to early diagnosis programs with mammograms, imaging tests, colonoscopy or PSA measurement, more and more people are diagnosed at an early stage and thus overcome their cancer. In addition to surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation can contribute to increasing the chance of a complete cure. Too many cured people walk next to us and we do not even suspect that they once had this disease. Let us add that there are types of cancer that, even in advanced stages, are completely curable.

The optimism of the 21st century.

The enormous advances in biological sciences that have occurred in recent decades have contributed to unlocking the various secrets of cancer one after another. Based on these discoveries, drugs have been designed that correspond to the genetic damage detected in cancer cells. The so-called “smart drugs” have significantly helped in the treatment of many difficult conditions.

Thus, in today’s era, after the biopsy, molecular genetic analysis of the DNA of each patient’s cancer cells is required, in order to determine whether there is a mutation that can be targeted. In this case, the patient can avoid chemotherapy for a long period of time ranging from months to several years, by simply taking pills. Dozens of such drugs are already available to our patients.

The Immunotherapy Revolution.

For decades, medicine has been trying to exploit the therapeutic potential of the body’s defenses, but until recently it had not been possible. And this is because a few years ago it was discovered that cancer cells have a protein on their surface, called PD-L1, which has the property of inactivating the body’s defense cells, specifically lymphocytes. This discovery immediately led to the production of special drugs that neutralize this action and thus the cancer cells are left without a protective shield. Thus, the lymphocytes attack without restriction and in many cases achieve the reduction, perhaps even the disappearance of the cancer cells.

Even if the cancer cell eventually develops other mechanisms of resistance to the immune system’s attack, significant time has been gained.

Technological advances

The technology that has been developed to treat cancer is enormous. In addition to advances in surgical techniques, the imaging capabilities with improved tomographs, with scintigrams of the PET type of many types are impressive. Radiotherapy can now target small lesions with extreme precision without damaging healthy cells (stereotaxy). At the same time, the field of interventional radiology has developed, with enormous potential for local destruction of cancerous tumors or other interventions. These advances contribute to more effective treatment of cancer.

Quality of life

Once upon a time, the word “chemotherapy” caused terror. Justifiably so, due to its side effects. With today’s supportive drugs, even intensive chemotherapies cause minimal symptoms. Patients can continue their lives normally, work, and even hide the fact if they wish. Although not all treatments cause hair loss, if someone wishes, they can maintain their hairstyle with special methods. Modern oncology respects the quality of life.

Conclusion

Cancer is no longer the fear of the past: not only are more patients being cured, but even those with incurable cancer can have a long course with a normal or slightly affected life. Therefore, the old feelings of hopelessness, in today’s era, have been replaced with optimism and determination. The cancer is receding. And the progress continues…