February 4 is World Cancer Day. You can check on line for initiatives related to this pronouncement. Also a great site for information about cancer, both in general and specific types: cancer.org by the American Cancer Society.
What I want to discuss is how amazing the journey has been for cancer care. Did you see information just last week on gene therapy?* Scientists are now finding ways- for cancer and other genetic diseases, to modify DNA in your body. They are investigating epigenetics to put in or pull out a gene within a gene to cure diseases. Yes, there are major improvements in cancer treatment over the years, but making it to the cellular level to control or even avoid the disease is a dramatic shift in focus.
Just this week other brilliant tactics are coming to light. For one of the most deadly: pancreas, using radioactive gel injection into tumor**. For prostate, ways to affect the cells not responding to toxic hormone therapy with immunotherapy***. For glioblastoma****, impacting the brain to maximize survival. For depression, trans cranial stimulation***** to manage the disease. For metastatic melanoma the impact immune therapy has had on survival is so dramatic.
Each year- each cancer day- brings more and more amazing discoveries; it’s frankly mind blowing. Data tells us the percentages for cancer by 2040 will be huge. What they leave out is that so are the truly life -altering almost magical tools invented today impacting tomorrow that will make this disease survivable.
So I say, be hopeful that on World Cancer Day the world forces are coming to the rescue. At the most minute, cellular, nano level, the World is actually conspiring in a very big way to care for you.
*cell.com, “Trends in Cancer” Single cell cancer epigenetics
**News Medical Life Center:”New method combines injectable radioactive gel with systemic chemotherapy…
*** CRI “What is immunotherapy?”
****www.nih.gov, “Customized drug to kill brain cancer cells”. also UTSA-UT Health San Antonio team studies compounds treating brain cancer (GBM).
***** Cleveland Clinic Health Library: TMS