About Cancer Treatments

One of every three women and one in two men in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Worldwide, cancer claimed 7.9 million lives during 2007, according to the International Union Against Cancer.
While these statistics are sobering, there are noteworthy positive trends. Cancer incidence and cancer death rates are dropping in the U.S., National Cancer Institute figures show.

Characteristics of Cancer

There are dozens of different types of cancer with an equally diverse array of causes, but they all share two common traits. The first is uncontrolled cell growth, the second that these are the only cells in the body that can spread to other areas, a process called metastasis.

Common Treatments

The most widely used treatments for cancer include:
*Surgery to remove malignant tumors. This is a highly effective approach in cancers that are detected before they spread to other areas of the body.
*Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to eradicate cancer cells in a targeted area.
*Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body.
"Those three methods of treating cancer can cure about half of all people who develop cancer this year," says Dr. Steven Rosenberg, chief of surgery at the National Cancer Institute.

Side Effects

Because radiation therapy and chemotherapy can damage healthy cells as well as cancerous ones, patients often must endure side effects ranging from fatigue and nausea to a heightened risk of infection and hair loss.

New Treatments

A number of targeted therapies are being developed that attack cancer cells without harming healthy tissues. Such targeted therapies already have shown promise treating some forms of leukemia and breast cancer. Advances also are being made in the field of immunotherapy. Researchers have learned to strengthen and multiply immune cells called lymphocytes as a defense against cancer.

New Use for Old Drug

In the 1950s and '60s, thalidomide was first prescribed in Europe and Canada to treat morning sickness in pregnant women. It was blamed for causing tragic birth defects in 10,000 children and was subsequently banned worldwide. In recent years, however, thalidomide has made a comeback because of its ability to limit the blood supply to cancerous tumors.

An Ambitious Goal

The National Cancer Institute has set a goal of eliminating death and suffering from cancer within the next decade. Cancer specialists say it is an ambitious but attainable milestone, thanks to the advent of targeted treatments and immunotherapy. They also expect breakthroughs in the near future in new areas such as the creation of cancer vaccines.

Resources

• National Cancer Institute
• International Union Against Cancer
• Waging War on Cancer