What's New in the Oncology World - Everything You Need to Know 

Cancer is one of the most malignant ailments the world has been dealing with for decades. Eminent scientists and renowned doctors like Dr. Gilbert Lederman have been trying their best to make cancer a curable disease. And for this, new methods, advanced mechanisms, and high-tech machines of cancer treatments are always in the limelight.  

Every year a great number of highly efficacious drugs and treatment strategies are introduced. Due to the efforts that the scientists and researchers are putting in, the oncology world has enjoyed many triumphs in the shape of a surge in the survival rate of cancer patients.    Although there are an innumerable amount of news and updates regarding the oncology world, yet we will discuss only a chosen few that can succor cancer patients in their fight against this pernicious disease. 

Avasopasem Drug Shields Normal Cells from Radiation, Helps Kill Cancer Cells: 

All the cancer treatments involve killing cancerous cells. However, this procedure has some side effects and to counter these side effects, patients undergo some other treatments called supportive therapies. These support therapies protect the normal tissues and make the side effects of the treatment more bearable.     

But recent research carried out on mice reveals that a drug called Avasopasem Manganese (AVA) has the capability to protect normal tissues from radiation therapy as well as making cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation treatment. Although this is a very positive news regarding the treatment of cancer, yet more research is required to see if the effects observed in mice can be replicated in people. 

Study Details Long-Term Side Effects of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors:   

Like many other cancer treatments, immune checkpoint inhibitors are a type of immunotherapy used to cure variant types of cancers. When treating patients with these drugs, there are chances that they can lead to long-lasting remissions. Until recently, the doctors were familiar with only the short-term side effects of these drugs; only little was known about the possibility of long-term, or chronic side effects. But a recent study revealed that immune checkpoint inhibitors can cause a range of long-term side effects, most of them being mild.     

While the short-term side effects of this treatment are acute, but they can be treated with steroid drugs. On the other hand, the latest study reviewed real-world data of people with melanoma who were recently treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor and found out that nearly half of the patients developed a long-term immune-related side effect. 

Potential Role of 'Junk DNA' Sequence in Aging of Cells:  

Our body is made up of trillions of cells. As these cells age, our bodies age as well. It is a well-known fact that genes influence how cells age and how long humans live, but scientists have been trying to find how that works for years. Findings from a new study proposed by a team of researchers led by Jiyue Zhu, at Washington State University have solved a small piece of that puzzle, bringing scientists one step closer to solving the mystery of aging. They have identified a DNA region known as VNTR2-1 that appears to drive the activity of the telomerase gene, which prevents aging in certain types of cells.   

Submission of Covid-19 Related Questionnaires Online: 

Patients, prior to arrival at the medical facility, should submit a COVID-19 related questionnaire. Staff will then allow the patient a walk-in on the basis of the provided information. Staff should communicate with and update patients via text messages or secure emails. It will surely help in restraining the spread of COVID-19.  

This is very buoyant news for cancer patients as well because knowing how the telomerase gene is regulated and activated and why it is only active in certain cell types could someday help them in stopping the spread of cancer. 

Investigational Magnetic Device Shrinks Glioblastoma Tumor:   

Another great research work has been done by researchers from the department of neurosurgery of Houston Methodist Neurological Institute regarding cancer treatment. Researchers dwindled a glioblastoma tumor (the deadliest of brain cancers in adults) by more than one-third using a helmet generating a noninvasive oscillating magnetic field that the patient wore on his head while administering the therapy in his own home.      

The research was performed on a 53-year-old patient who died from an unrelated injury; about a month into the treatment. However, the researchers found that 31% of the tumor mass disappeared. The autopsy of his brain confirmed the rapid response to the treatment.  

For Advanced Prostate Cancer, Radiopharmaceutical Improves Survival:  

Radiopharmaceutical is a type of cancer therapy that throws radiation directly to cancer cells. This method represents the newest advance in the treatment of prostate cancer, according to results from a large clinical trial. The trial was carried out on patients having a perverse form of advanced prostate cancer, called metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer that had gotten worse despite treatment with standard therapies. This study disclosed that the patients who received the drug, called 177Lu-PSMA-617, along with other standard treatments lived longer than those who received only standard therapies: a median of 15.3 months versus 11.3 months. 

However, treatment with the aforementioned drug during radiopharmaceuticals lead to side effects. The researchers reported that the most common side effects, such as fatigue and dry mouth, were rarely serious and that participants generally appeared to handle the side effects well. Hence, the study findings support the making of 177Lu-PSMA-617 a new treatment option for advanced forms of cancers. 

Cancer has been a big concern for scientists and doctors and they are leaving no stone unturned to find ways of avoiding and treating this deadly malady. The current methodologies and treatments of cancers are although successfully curing most of the patients, yet a lot of room is available to make it a cent percent curable ailment.