The Changing Face of Cancer Treatment through Novel Biomarkers
Cancer, an immunologic condition that can begin in any organ or tissue of the body is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Tumors are familiar with the variety of strategies for evading the immune system, including the development of immune-suppressing chemicals. There are around 200 different types of cancer caused by various environmental and lifestyle factors, still, the World Health Organization (WHO) projection showed that between 30-and 50% of all cancer cases could be cured if diagnosed early, i.e., at the tumor stage I/II or in asymptomatic patients. This could be attained by the incorporation of biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients.
Curing cancer is certainly one of the big challenges of the 21st century due to its diverse behavior and the presence of multiple mechanisms for progression. With the advancement of research and development, many different treatment approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and many more have emerged with the same primary goal of eradicating all cancer cells from the body or totally removing cancer from the body. Unfortunately, the advantages of these approaches have been overshadowed by their disadvantages.
Through this whitepaper, DelveInsight is representing the use of biomarkers in overcoming the disadvantages of current treatment options and therefore, changing the face of cancer treatment. Owning to the evolution of genomic profiling technologies and selective molecular targeted therapies, biomarkers are becoming increasingly relevant in the clinical management of cancer patients. The growth of biologic markers to assess a patient's ability to respond to treatment is driving the development of targeted drugs. Many targets such as in lung cancer: epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) have been linked to progression and treatment response. The goal of Immuno-oncology biomarker research is to predict the prognosis of the cancer post-treatment.
Despite the challenges in the discovery of biomarkers. The paradigm of oncology is bright, with many biomarker-specific therapies being in the pipeline. The development of many more targeted therapies is anticipated with the use of biomarkers in the coming years as a significant cancer driver.
