Genetics V.S. Cancer

The battle against cancer has always been a frightful and filled with hardships for everyone, however with the power of science, these battles are starting to have more hopes. About one out of twenty-two Americans battle and survived against cancer--that's three times the amount of victories since 40 years ago!

About 14.5 million people in the United States defeated cancer or survived with a tumor for more than five years. The new scientific tools in our hands are now allowing us to explore the genetics basics on cancer and target the molecular triggers that sets off cancer and prevent it from spreading. Between 1998 and 2001 cancer targeted drugs, such as Herceptin for breast cancer and Gleevec for leukemia were approved; the drugs have help cleared five new targeted treatments for cancer.

Although not every battle ends in victory, we can now label patients suffering from cancer into smaller groups based on the specific genetics of their malignancies. By doing so, researchers can pinpoint specific mutations with new drugs; according to Ken Anderson, a physician and spokesman for the America Association for Cancer Research, these medications also lessens the side effects such as nausea and fatigue. Other new types of cancer treatments are now focusing on protecting the immune system, trying to prevent the cancer from growing in the body.

As Anderson stated, "These new medicines offer the opportunity for unprecedented extent and frequency of responses on the one hand and a very favorable side effect profile on the other."  

This year about 1.6 million Americans will find out they have cancer. In 2009, it costed about $216.6 billion for the country to attempt curing cancer. My grandfather past away due to lung cancer, so the news about these new drugs gave me a sense of hope. I know the damage cancer can do to not only the person having it, but it also affects the loved ones in your family. Hopefully these new drugs will help us defeat cancer once and for all. So far the battles are turning to our favor, but will we eventually win the war?

Article: http://health.heraldtribune.com/2014/09/30/genetics-helping-survivor-tally-triple-40-years-ago/

Related article about one of the new drug for breast cancer: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/28/us-health-cancer-roche-idUSKCN0HN06R20140928 

Less is More

An article posted in NewsDaily, on March 16, 2012 by Bill Berkrot, proclaims that a surplus of patients taking a widely prescribed class of oral cancer drugs, kinase inhibitors, are also using a variety of medications that could reduce the effectiveness of the cancer treatment or increase its toxic side effects. The study found that 43 percent of patients taking the highly effective leukemia drug Gleevec http://news.healingwell.com/index.php?p=news1&id=522592 were also on another medicine that could diminish its efficacy, while 68 percent were taking something that could potentially raise the toxicity level. The medications that could potentially cause such adverse "drug-drug interactions" (DDI) include commonly used heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) , such as Nexium and Prevacid; steroids; a class of blood pressure and heart medications known as calcium channel blockers; and some antibiotics and antifungal treatments. Dr. Milayna Subar of Medco's Oncology Therapeutic Resource Center said “The fact that one-quarter to 75 percent of patients on these oral drugs may not be getting the full benefit of their treatment or may in fact be putting their health at further risk because of another medication they are taking is concerning.” Researchers are alarmed at the minimal communication between oncologist pharmacists and doctors; the patients are not getting the full benefit of the treatment due to no fault of their own. After the study took place, Medco, a pharmacy benefit manager that is in the process of being acquired by rival Express Scripts Inc, offers a Drug Utilization Review program under which its oncology pharmacists can alert doctors about potentially troubling medication interactions. In an article posted in HealthDayNews, E.J. Mundell informs readers of how fascinating and amazing Gleevec is.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="303" caption="People are seen on beds in a room at the National Cancer Research Center within the Institute for Oncology and Radiology in Belgrade"][/caption]