It is now possible to harness the immune system to fight cancer, thanks to a breakthrough called cancer immunotherapy.
It is now possible to harness the immune system to fight cancer, thanks to a breakthrough called cancer immunotherapy.
The best news you’ll read today is this: Cancer is not as terrifying as the statistics would have you believe. This is because modern-day medical science is progressing faster than ever before, and a new class of drugs known as immunotherapy promises to give patients a better chance of recovery, if not a full recovery.
The body’s immune system is a powerful healer. It works by using T-cells (one of the cells in our lymph nodes) to identify and destroy infections, while leaving healthy tissue alone. However, the problem with malignant cancer cells is that they fend off attacks by hiding themselves from T-cells.
With immunotherapy drugs, scientists have developed an antibody which allows T-cells to attack cancer cells, thereby shrinking or eliminating tumours – even in very advanced cases. This is a triumph, considering that late-stage patients tend to be physically weaker, and hence harder to treat with conventional options such as radiation or cytotoxic drugs.
In the future, immunotherapy may be personalised for each patient, using specialised markers or genomic tests. For instance, oncologists can read the DNA of their patients’ cancer cells, and work out a customised approach to help them fight the disease.
Over time, it will become increasingly possible to eliminate tumours permanently for some patients, while others may live a dramatically longer life. Remember that every coin has two sides – statistics might tell us that 36 people are diagnosed with cancer every day, or that the disease is the top cause of death in Singapore. But more importantly, research also tells us that four in 10 cases may be prevented, and early detection can lead to a full recovery. Modern treatment methods will also work towards ensuring a rise in survival rates. The odds are evolving in our favour, and that is a wonderful thing.
For more information, visit Novena Cancer Centre, #09-41 Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road;
Tel: 6339-0233.
