Why is it that some cancers are indestructible? There is no single explanation. The path from genetic mutation to tumour is relatively well understood. The process is particularly complex for lung cancers, because individual patients have different mutations. The good news is that cancer drugs now target specific mutations and the proteins that those proteins code for. The drugs work by targeting the mutation of the gene that codes for a specific protein that tumor cells need to thrive.
The study, however, cites two different types of studies to make its conclusions. The first was based on tissue studies, while the second analyzed population data. This suggests that cancer is an outlier, and not an entirely common disease. The second type cited by Mr. Hunt cites a 19th century surgeon who referred to cancer as “a long-tail disease.” Regardless of the name, this definition reflects the fact that most medical breakthroughs in the 20th century were in common diseases. Because of the limitations of the study, it is unlikely that cancer is a single disease.
As we mentioned above, the likelihood of cancer cure is greatly dependent on the type of cancer and the stage of the disease. Fortunately, some cancers are treatable in the early stages, as they are more likely to be detected and treated. Still, others are more difficult to detect or treat. In this case, a cancer drug will not work because it is not specific enough to target all cancer cells. So, a cure for cancer is unlikely to be possible unless it is discovered and studied by experts.
The third reason why cancer is difficult to cure is that cancer cells escape the immune system. While some cancer cells express antigens that are not in the immune system, the majority do not. Therefore, cancer cells can escape the immune system and therefore cannot be treated. A targeted therapy can help, but it cannot cure every case of cancer. Therefore, it is essential to know which antigens are on the cancer cells and the type of antibodies to attack them.
To cure cancer, doctors need to know how the tumors evolve. For example, a cancer patient may have as many as 10 billion cancer cells in the body at the time of diagnosis. Even 99 percent-effective anti-cancer drugs will leave around 100 million cancer cells in the body after the initial treatment. In these cases, a combination of drugs is necessary to combat the problem. A chemotherapy drug will target cancer cells that have more mutations than healthy cells.
In a similar way, cancer can be treated using complementary therapies. However, it is essential for the doctor to have complete faith in the patient’s ability to recover. If he believes he will not recover, the doctor cannot perform the treatment. Similarly, the method he uses to treat the patient is faulty. The treatment itself may cause some side effects, including hair loss, anemia, and a decreased white blood cell count.
