Atul K. Tandon
CEO & President, NeoBiotechnologies, Inc. Written for CQ Researcher, July 2024
While cancer prevention is undeniably crucial, emphasizing it at the expense of treatment research would
be a strategic misstep.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the U.S. government invested more than $6.8 billion in cancer treatment research in 2023. This sustained investment has coincided with significant progress in cancer treatment. The American Cancer Society’s “Cancer Facts & Figures” 2024 report reveals a 26 percent decline in cancer mortality rates over the past two decades. Furthermore, the report highlights a rise in five-year survival rates for various cancers, with some exceeding 80 percent for specific types and treatment regimens.
A shining example of such progress is CAR T-cell therapy. In 2012, Emily Whitehead became the first pediatric patient to receive this revolutionary treatment for leukemia, achieving a complete cure. This breakthrough has since offered hope for countless children battling similar cancers.
Antibody-based therapies are another pillar of this progress. Trastuzumab specifically targets a protein called HER2, which is overexpressed in some breast cancers and HER2-positive gastric cancers. Trastuzumab has been instrumental in extending survival rates and improving quality of life for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
Modern therapies not only extend lives but also reduce the severe side effects associated with traditional treatments. By maintaining or increasing funding for treatment research, we can continue to develop therapies with better efficacy and fewer side effects, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and a higher quality of life.
Investing in treatment is not just medically beneficial, it’s economically sound. More effective treatments can significantly reduce the long-term health care costs associated with managing cancer; healthier patients contribute positively to the economy by remaining active in the workforce and reducing the burden on social and healthcare systems.
Furthermore, the relationship between treatment and prevention is complementary. Advances in cancer treatment often provide valuable insights into cancer biology, which can inform and enhance prevention strategies.
Numerous cancers, particularly rare and aggressive types, lack well-defined prevention strategies, but on going treatment research offers these patients their best hope for finding effective therapies. Abandoning them by diverting funds exclusively to prevention would be ethically and medically irresponsible.
In conclusion, while cancer prevention is vital, maintaining robust funding for cancer treatment research is essential to continue the progress made in saving lives, improving quality of life and understanding cancer biology. Both prevention and treatment must be pursued with equal vigor to effectively combat the global cancer burden.
Media Info:
By: Karen Fischer
Content Type: Report
Publisher: CQ Press
Source: Biospace / See original article here
