The battle against the Big C

Treatments for cancer have improved dramatically in recent decades, altering many diagnoses from life-threatening into manageable or even curable diseases.

Advances are due to a better understanding of cancer biology, major technological progress, and the move toward more personalised care.

One of the most significant improvements has been the shift away from one-size-fits-all treatments. While traditional chemotherapy and radiation are still important, they are now often combined with targeted therapies.

Targeted treatments are designed to attack specific genetic mutations or proteins that drive cancer growth, protecting more healthy cells and reducing side effects. Drugs such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies have proven very effective in battling breast cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia.

Immunotherapy is another key innovation. Instead of attacking cancer directly, immunotherapies help the body’s own immune system recognise and destroy cancer cells.

Treatments such as immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown remarkable success in melanoma, lung cancer, and other advanced cancers that were once very difficult to treat.

CAR T-cell therapy, which involves engineering a patient’s own immune cells to target cancer, has produced dramatic results in certain blood cancers.

Worryingly, blood cancers leukaemia and lymphoma have risen sharply in Australian children, increasing by nearly 30% to 40% among 5- to 14-year-olds over the past 20 years.

Experts report several possible contributing factors to the rise – Improved Diagnosis: Data Reporting: and Environmental Factors – though the exact causes for most cases remain unknown.

Advances in precision medicine are also reshaping cancer care. Genetic testing of tumours allows doctors to predict which treatments are best for an individual patient. Supportive care has also evolved alongside cancer treatments. Better management of pain, nausea, fatigue, and emotional distress has greatly improved the quality of life for patients.

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