The quest to find a cure for cancer dates back at least to Ancient Egypt (some historians say there are even earlier records) where several papyrus scripts provide a description of the disease and subsequent attempts to treat it. Since then, medical science has waged a steadily advancing war against the disease filled with milestones and breakthroughs in diagnosis and effective treatment.
New inroads in treatment
This year has seen the release of trial results that may mark a significant change in direction in the treatment of different types of cancer. Some of the more promising tests revolve around:
Ipilimumab
An anti-PD1s and anti-PDL1s, ipilimumab has been shown effective in recent trials in boosting survival rates of those with melanoma. This cancer medication blocks the receptor CTLA-4, thereby allowing the body’s immunization system to target cancer cells, and extending life expectancy by two or three years. Ipilimumab is currently awaiting FDA approval.
Nivolumab
This cancer treatment medication, in the same class as ipilimumab, is showing promise in both the United States and Great Britain as an effective treatment for those with advanced lung cancer, especially in tumor destruction.
Iridium-based ZL 105
The greatest buzz surrounds the potential breakthrough drug ZL 105. Derived from iridium, a precious metal, early research shows that ZL 105 is effective in fighting a range of cancers including ovarian, melanoma, breast, renal, and colon. Additionally, it appears to offer something that limits other cancer fighting drugs – its effectiveness is sustained over time; current precious-metal treatments tend to lose their effectiveness over time. What makes this new cancer medication unique is that it does not attack DNA so it destroys cancerous cells without debilitating side effects.
More breakthroughs on the horizon
A medication classified as STl571, or Glivec, is just one of a group of cancer medications designated as molecularly-targeted therapies. These types of drugs attack the cells of a specific type of cancer. To this point, the best returns have been in those suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a disease that strikes over 7000 people in the U.S. annually. However, it is believed that Glivec can pave the way for similar medications to treat other types of cancer on a more personalized level. While it does not have FDA approval at this time, it is receiving a priority review.
PARP inhibitors are also showing tremendous promise in the targeted therapy field. Originally developed to treat breast cancer, trials have been expanded to include those with colon, prostate, renal, and ovarian cancer, and preliminary results are encouraging. When combined with chemotherapy or radiation therapy, they prevent cancerous cells from repairing themselves. In addition, it appears that they also mitigate the side effects associated with these treatment approaches.
With these and other breakthrough medications on the horizon, we are becoming better and better at treating and managing cancer. Researchers are constantly testing new drugs that could lead to a cure in the future. For more information about cancer and cancer medications, visit our Cancer Conditions page.
