5 biggest innovations in cancer treatment

In 2020, USD 162.4 billion was spent on oncological drugs in the world, which was an 8.7% increase compared to 2019. These numbers show how significant problem cancer is on a global scale. In many countries (including the USA) the fight against it has become a priority. The activities carried out, created research programs and efforts on the development of technology in the field of medicine aims to overcome cancer.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to design and develop not only treatment methods, but also prevention and subsequent monitoring. Work in all these spheres is ongoing. However, the greatest hopes are placed on innovative cancer treatments.

1. Targeted therapies

Targeted therapy has been revolutionizing oncology for several years. It includes drugs that are able to neutralize the action of certain proteins that are responsible for the development and spread of cancer in the body. Targeted therapies are part of precision medicine that moves away from the one-drug approach for all patients with a particular disease. Targeted therapies consist of personalizing treatment in terms of such conditions as genetics. The price of such treatment is still relatively high and access to it may therefore be limited. It is predicted that as prices inevitably decrease, targeted therapies will become widely used in cancer treatment.

2. Molecular biology

The development of molecular diagnostics of cancer is related to the above-described precision medicine. In order to select the appropriate treatment strategy and drug, it is necessary to examine the genetic mutations of the neoplastic lesion. Research on genes in the context of oncology offers the greatest hope. There are already companies that choose drugs to match the mutations present in the patient's body. The analysis of these conditions, carried out on the basis of the genetic profile, allows for the selection of a method suited to the type of cancer.

3. AI development

Artificial intelligence is becoming a more and more popular topic, mainly in the context of technologies used in various fields — from industry to everyday life. For several years, AI has also been conquering medicine, including oncology. The advantage of AI is its ability to learn quickly, even from a huge amount of data. In the case of humans, it would be impossible to process the same amounts. This is of particular importance in medicine, where research around the world carries out and processes enormous amounts of information about patients. Such a large collection of knowledge can be analyzed without major problems by using AI algorithms. Thanks to its use in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, it is possible to select an appropriate treatment method or to develop an appropriate surgical procedure strategy. What are the benefits of this? In many cases, medical AI can significantly reduce the risk of complications as well as increase the chances of a complete recovery.

4. In silico research

Scientific research is the most important driver for the development of medicine. Each year billions of dollars are allocated to this goal all over the world. Clinical trials consist of several main phases, which are additionally preceded by a pre-clinical phase. Usually, these studies are continued despite drug registration. The process of conducting clinical trials is extremely complicated, time-consuming, and also costly and, what is more, carries a high risk of failure. In order to avoid such a situation, research is more and more often conducted in silico, i.e. in the form of computer simulations. At the moment, the available technology and knowledge of broadly understood biology do not allow clinical trials to be conducted entirely in this form. However, it is predicted that the further development of science will allow use in silico more widely, which will bring huge benefits to the entire medical world.

5. Medical robots

There are many benefits of using robots for surgery. The use of robots in medicine (more precisely during surgical procedures) in many cases allows to shorten the time not only of surgery itself, but also of the patient's recovery. Moreover, it reduces the risk of complications.

Da Vinci robot

The first operation with a da Vinci robot was performed in 1998. Its functionality is constantly being improved. Currently, it’s used to perform minimally invasive procedures that require high precision. The use of Da Vinci is very wide, and in the case of oncological surgery, it can be used for prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, neck and head cancer, and colorectal cancer.

CyberKnife robot

Another robot that is already used in the treatment of tumors (benign and malignant) is CyberKnife. It is used to perform precise radiotherapy. Since the first clinical trials conducted in the 1990s, 7 models have been released — the last of them is the CyberKnife S7 System from 2020. What is CyberKnife used for? The main indication for radiotherapy with CyberKnife is the presence of solid tumors — not infiltrating healthy tissues in the patient's body. It is most often used to perform radiotherapy for tumors of the spine and brain (central nervous system), lung, liver, prostate pancreas and metastatic tumors.

The described technologies are only some cancer treatment methods that are currently under development. Work on the development of all ideas and their subsequent implementation allow for shifting the boundaries towards a thorough understanding of this disease. Until recently, many technologies were in the realm of dreams. Currently, some of them have become a reality, helping in better cancer prevention and treatment today.