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Cancer treatments such as immunotherapy and genetic analysis may be less toxic than chemotherapy
Scientists are slowly moving towards less toxic tools to fight cancer. This can be illustrated by the example of a certain John Ryan, who is considered one of the miracles to emerge from the Johns Hopkins Cancer Unit in Baltimore. John is a retired military nuclear reactor specialist who has received immunotherapy treatment for lung cancer. The alternative treatment of cancer – which has so far been very effective in a minority of patients – has saved John's life. John is now set to celebrate his 74th birthday in July. His battle with cancer is about the promises and failures of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is an industry in which the pharmaceutical industry has invested heavily. In June 2013, John was told that he had only 18 months to live. But thanks to immunotherapy, he was able to attend the graduation of three of his children. He will also participate in the wedding of one of his daughters in the summer.
Less toxic treatments for cancer progress slowly
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L & # 39; Immunotherapy is considered one of the two leading cancer medications. Chemotherapy is the most popular and widely used treatment against cancer. However, chemotherapy is so toxic that in addition to targeting the cancer cells, it also attacks some healthy cells, which can have significant side effects and leave the patient in a dismal state. Hair loss, weight loss, diarrhea, nausea and weakness after chemotherapy.
John went through all this in 2013 and his tumor still persisted, reports AFP, exhausted by chemotherapy, in a final clinical trial. using nivolumab (brand name Opdivo) was done on him later 2013. After the intravenous delivery of the drug and 104 injections later, his tumor disappeared quickly. The main side effect of this treatment was itching. It's only recently that a mysterious mass has appeared in his right lung. This was treated with the help of radiation. Through immunotherapy, its quality of life has greatly improved.
Chemotherapy May Have Many Side Effects
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Related stories: Neuroendocrine Tumor: Irrfan breaks his silence again and shares the path to fight against neuroendocrine cancer [19659007] Immunotherapy is an alternative cancer treatment that acts to form the body's natural defenses to detect and kill cancer cells. Experts were mostly disappointed with new and innovative approaches to cancer control, but immunotherapy was considered a turning point, a less toxic treatment for cancer control.
Currently, 30 immunotherapeutic drugs are being developed with 800 ongoing clinical trials
Yet, there are relatively few patients who have shown recovery with the help of immunotherapy. have so far been intrigued by the unusual long-term remission of immunotherapy in a small number of patients.
Some cancer treatments help patients live Better quality of life
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About 10 to 15% of cancer patients make success stories in immunotherapy. Normal discounts lasted a year and a half or two years. However, clinical trials in recent years have revolutionized the world of cancer. They showed that it was possible to better treat cancer patients. It has also been possible to cure some of the most difficult forms of cancer, without having to resort to some of the most toxic techniques.
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A good example is that of prostate cancer here. Scientists have found that regular screenings have in fact resulted in too many tumors that would never have spread and would have been treated during operations.
Another breast cancer study found that surgery and hormone therapy were enough to contain cancer. thousands of women. It was found that chemotherapy was administered unnecessarily and this surprised the entire cancer community.
Other emerging alternative cancer treatments include genetic analysis, which has become more common for tumors. Genetic analysis has allowed faster and more accurate treatment for patients. Experts are of the opinion that there are now more tools to identify whether a cancer patient should be treated or not, by surgery, treatment, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or genetic analysis.
However, some cancers remain marginal to these new treatments. Cancers such as melanoma, leukemia, breast cancer, cervix, lung, colon and rectum can be treated with the help of immunotherapy and other drugs. other personalized treatments. These treatments make slow progress, not entirely affirmative, for cancer.
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