New research and more effective treatments are resulting in an increase in cancer survival rates

It is important to note there is no universal ‘cure’ for cancer; each type (from bowel cancer to brain cancer) has numerous physiological and structural differences – including a unique pattern of biomarkers – meaning advancing cancer research is a multi-faceted and intricate field. However, from diagnostic improvements (advanced robotics and biomarker identification) to targeted chemotherapy and precision medicine, oncological treatment has certainly skyrocketed in effectiveness.

“For many cancers now, people should be confident that it’s not a death sentence and that more treatments will become available,” says Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England. Indeed, the NHS’s leading doctor has said we are entering a ‘golden age’ of cancer treatments, where a diagnosis could be less of a death sentence, for example, three out of four women with breast cancer now live 10+ years after their diagnosis.

These developments are mostly attributable to recent advances in cancer research. Increases in diagnostic speed and accuracy and treatments with minimal side effects are among the key players of this ‘golden age’ of cancer treatments. A team at Novelna in the US has developed a test that accurately identifies 93% of stage 1 cancers in men by analysing patients’ blood proteins. This treatment is being heralded as a minimally invasive and a cheaper alternative to traditional diagnostic methods, while also rapidly increasing the speed of treatment.

In the 100,000 Genomes project on the NHS, 13,000 tumour samples were studied from UK cancer patients, identifying key genomic data to improve the accuracy of treatments

Personalised cancer vaccines are also an exciting new discovery, awaiting trial in cancer patients in the NHS. The vaccines use the same mRNA methods as the current Covid jabs, and work via priming the immune system to target cancer cells, in the hopes they will reduce recurrence and reduce debilitating side effects. Precision oncology involves studying molecular and genetic characteristics of cancerous tumours in individual patients, therefore, employing a more idiopathic approach. In the 100,000 Genomes project on the NHS, 13,000 tumour samples were studied from UK cancer patients, identifying key genomic data to improve the accuracy of treatments. Similar to vaccines, precision oncology is a targeted treatment, meaning the side effects are reduced and there is less harm to healthy cells.

These innovative new techniques and treatments expand on standard cancer therapy approaches. Chemotherapy works by killing or stopping the growth of cancer, often to treat it by stopping or slowing its growth, and can also often prevent the cancer from growing back. This can ease cancer symptoms by shrinking the tumours that are causing pain, but can also sometimes lead to harsh side effects (mouth sores, nausea, and hair loss). Innovative treatments like precision oncology and personalised vaccines therefore, aim to reduce these side effects, which also reduces treatment attrition rates.

Despite this progress, modern medicine has always had disparities – particularly when it comes to geopolitical divides in low-income (LMICs) versus high-income countries

Surgical oncology has now developed into a field that bridges medicine and biomedical engineering. Patients often need other types of treatments – not just surgery alone – to cure their cancer. Surgical oncologists work with other specialists to develop individualised and comprehensive treatment plans. Particularly, the adoption of robotics into the operating theatre has allowed for the performance of surgery that has a less traumatic impact on the patients. Robotic systems like the da Vinci Xi allow higher precision and control for surgeons. “I can now do surgeries through natural orifices, like a patient’s mouth, where I previously would have had to split open a jaw”, says Professor Vinidh Paleri, Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon at The Royal Marsden. Such developments not only increase longevity and quality of life but also enable the surgical targeting of tumours that were previously inoperable.

Despite this progress, modern medicine has always had disparities – particularly when it comes to geopolitical divides in low-income (LMICs) versus high-income countries. There is an unequal burden of lung cancer morbidity in LMICs, as approximately 70% of cancer deaths occur in LMICs (largely from lung cancer). The leading risk factor for lung cancer is smoking, and 80% of smokers worldwide live in LMICs, with poor air quality and residential heating contributing to this disease. However, according to the WHO, less than 30% of patients diagnosed with cancer have access to advanced therapies in LMICs, versus 90% in high-income countries, leading to lower survival rates in these regions. Thus, it is imperative that treatment and diagnostic advancements are made accessible worldwide for equitable treatment and care.

Integrating cancer services into primary healthcare systems and expanding access to screening and early detection programmes are crucial in addressing resource disparities in LMICs. Providing training opportunities for multidisciplinary cancer care teams (including medical oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, and radiation oncologists) is a step that could prepare more professionals, therefore giving a greater number of people access to novel treatments – like precision oncology, cancer vaccines, diagnostic developments, and robotics – in these countries. Therefore, with innovation and developing global health strategies, cancer is increasingly becoming less and less fatal to people worldwide.