By Brijesh Ghelani
The cure for cancer involves many latest methods and technologies which are combined to obtain an optimal result. Though traditional methods like chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery are still vastly in use, new scientific advancements have opened up new horizons as a cure for cancer. This article is a detailed description of not just the traditional methods but of other latest research advancements like gene therapy, hormone therapy, etc. Read on to know how best you can involve science and technology to get rid of this not-so-desired health condition.
Surgery
Surgery is an effective cure for cancer to avoid its spread and to remove the cells once for all. The diseased cell can be removed thus preventing further spread though in advanced stages, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is used as follow-up treatment methods. Recent medical researches have brought in much advancement in this branch of oncology treatment.
Chemotherapy
The use of drugs to destroy the cancer cells is known as chemotherapy. The drugs destroy the DNA inside the cell which kills the cell subsequently. Chemotherapy treatment modes as a cure for cancer are given to the patient on a regular duration either through IV or through injection. For some cancer types like that of the skin, chemotherapy drugs can be administered in the form of creams or pills also.
Radiation Therapy
High energy rays are passed through the body targeted at the cancerous area to destroy them. The also like chemotherapy destroy the cell DNA, consequently killing them. But unlike the chemotherapy process, the radiation therapy is localised and concentrates more on the cancer cells than the normal ones. The radiation therapy can be given either by external or by internal modes depending on the location of cancer.
Proton Therapy
This is a branch of radiation therapy which is currently in experimental stage and hence not in excessive use. The therapy uses protons in place of the x-ray beams used in traditional radiation therapy methods. Protons carry the advantage of depositing the radiation energy most on the cancerous cells thereby reducing the side effects and improving the therapy result. These therapies can also be used in combination with surgery or chemotherapy for maximised results.
Gene Therapy
Human body is made up of thousands of genes which tells the cells how to work, control growth and determine body functioning. When this gene becomes damaged by external factors, it is known as mutation and leads to cancer. Gene therapy is a medical advancement for the cure of cancer where the mutated gene is modified or replaced so as to prevent initiation of cancer. Clinical trials and researches are underway to figure out if missing or non-functioning genes can be replaced or if they can be prevented from growing into cancerous cells. There are also other possibilities of gene therapy where genes can be introduced into cancer cells to trigger an attack by the body's immune system itself or by introducing suicide genes into the diseased cell which can cause a self-destruction. It is also under research to see if genes can be inserted to cancer cells to make them more weak and susceptible to other treatment modes of cancer. Gene therapy can also be used to protect the healthy cells against the cancer cells from effects of chemotherapy drugs or radiation.
Hormone Therapy
Hormones are naturally produced chemicals in the body which travel through the body and co-ordinate various functions of the body. Medical research has found that hormones can be claimed responsible for regulating many cellular functions of the body. Some cancers have been found to be dependent on hormones for their growth and development. This is used as the main basis of hormonal therapy. In this method, hormones that fuel the cancer cells are blocked so that the cells can be prevented from growing. Hormone therapy is given through oral or surgical methods and is mostly used for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer.
Photodynamic Therapy
This method of cure for cancer uses a light source which is used along with a light-sensitive drug to destroy cancer. In this therapy, the photosensitising agent or the drug is first injected into the patient. This drug attaches itself to the cancerous cells on a higher basis than the normal cells and makes them more responsive to light. When the patient is exposed to a special light source like laser the drug gets activated and destroys the cancer cells.
Biologic Therapy
Our body immune system is equipped to fight foreign agents and other substances that harm the body's metabolism. This concept is made use of in the biologic therapy where substances that are naturally produced in our body are injected back into our body to improve our immune system so that it can fight the cancer cells and kill them. This kind of therapy is also known as immunotherapy or biological response modifiers where the substances are provided to the patient's body through IV or injection mode. This method also involves considerable side effects due to increase in the amount of natural substance in the body and thus needs to taken into consideration when the dosage is determined.
Targeted Therapies
Cells when they undergo mutation or modification start to grow in an uncontrollable fashion which can lead to cancer conditions. These cells are targeted and their modifying criterion is taken as a factor for killing them. In short, drugs are administered which modify molecules that are involved in the growth of cancer cells in this specific cure of targeted cancer therapy. These drugs also focus on improving the immune system thereby equipping the body in the required manner so as to help them destroy these cells. The underlying facts of cellular and molecular composition and the changes that are caused are taken into account in this method. As they target the cancer cells more, the side effects caused on the normal cell is also less comparatively. This method is in experimental stage currently and many clinical trials are in progress to study the effectiveness of this method on the various types of cancer.
The cure for cancer involves many latest methods and technologies which are combined to obtain an optimal result. Though traditional methods like chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery are still vastly in use, new scientific advancements have opened up new horizons as a cure for cancer. This article is a detailed description of not just the traditional methods but of other latest research advancements like gene therapy, hormone therapy, etc. Read on to know how best you can involve science and technology to get rid of this not-so-desired health condition.
Surgery
Surgery is an effective cure for cancer to avoid its spread and to remove the cells once for all. The diseased cell can be removed thus preventing further spread though in advanced stages, chemotherapy or radiation therapy is used as follow-up treatment methods. Recent medical researches have brought in much advancement in this branch of oncology treatment.
Chemotherapy
The use of drugs to destroy the cancer cells is known as chemotherapy. The drugs destroy the DNA inside the cell which kills the cell subsequently. Chemotherapy treatment modes as a cure for cancer are given to the patient on a regular duration either through IV or through injection. For some cancer types like that of the skin, chemotherapy drugs can be administered in the form of creams or pills also.
Radiation Therapy
High energy rays are passed through the body targeted at the cancerous area to destroy them. The also like chemotherapy destroy the cell DNA, consequently killing them. But unlike the chemotherapy process, the radiation therapy is localised and concentrates more on the cancer cells than the normal ones. The radiation therapy can be given either by external or by internal modes depending on the location of cancer.
Proton Therapy
This is a branch of radiation therapy which is currently in experimental stage and hence not in excessive use. The therapy uses protons in place of the x-ray beams used in traditional radiation therapy methods. Protons carry the advantage of depositing the radiation energy most on the cancerous cells thereby reducing the side effects and improving the therapy result. These therapies can also be used in combination with surgery or chemotherapy for maximised results.
Gene Therapy
Human body is made up of thousands of genes which tells the cells how to work, control growth and determine body functioning. When this gene becomes damaged by external factors, it is known as mutation and leads to cancer. Gene therapy is a medical advancement for the cure of cancer where the mutated gene is modified or replaced so as to prevent initiation of cancer. Clinical trials and researches are underway to figure out if missing or non-functioning genes can be replaced or if they can be prevented from growing into cancerous cells. There are also other possibilities of gene therapy where genes can be introduced into cancer cells to trigger an attack by the body's immune system itself or by introducing suicide genes into the diseased cell which can cause a self-destruction. It is also under research to see if genes can be inserted to cancer cells to make them more weak and susceptible to other treatment modes of cancer. Gene therapy can also be used to protect the healthy cells against the cancer cells from effects of chemotherapy drugs or radiation.
Hormone Therapy
Hormones are naturally produced chemicals in the body which travel through the body and co-ordinate various functions of the body. Medical research has found that hormones can be claimed responsible for regulating many cellular functions of the body. Some cancers have been found to be dependent on hormones for their growth and development. This is used as the main basis of hormonal therapy. In this method, hormones that fuel the cancer cells are blocked so that the cells can be prevented from growing. Hormone therapy is given through oral or surgical methods and is mostly used for the treatment of breast and prostate cancer.
Photodynamic Therapy
This method of cure for cancer uses a light source which is used along with a light-sensitive drug to destroy cancer. In this therapy, the photosensitising agent or the drug is first injected into the patient. This drug attaches itself to the cancerous cells on a higher basis than the normal cells and makes them more responsive to light. When the patient is exposed to a special light source like laser the drug gets activated and destroys the cancer cells.
Biologic Therapy
Our body immune system is equipped to fight foreign agents and other substances that harm the body's metabolism. This concept is made use of in the biologic therapy where substances that are naturally produced in our body are injected back into our body to improve our immune system so that it can fight the cancer cells and kill them. This kind of therapy is also known as immunotherapy or biological response modifiers where the substances are provided to the patient's body through IV or injection mode. This method also involves considerable side effects due to increase in the amount of natural substance in the body and thus needs to taken into consideration when the dosage is determined.
Targeted Therapies
Cells when they undergo mutation or modification start to grow in an uncontrollable fashion which can lead to cancer conditions. These cells are targeted and their modifying criterion is taken as a factor for killing them. In short, drugs are administered which modify molecules that are involved in the growth of cancer cells in this specific cure of targeted cancer therapy. These drugs also focus on improving the immune system thereby equipping the body in the required manner so as to help them destroy these cells. The underlying facts of cellular and molecular composition and the changes that are caused are taken into account in this method. As they target the cancer cells more, the side effects caused on the normal cell is also less comparatively. This method is in experimental stage currently and many clinical trials are in progress to study the effectiveness of this method on the various types of cancer.
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