Tech-related: How far can we cure cancer?
Cancer research remains one of the most significant research areas in healthcare worldwide. With the helping hand of 4.0 technologies, let see how far cancer study and treatment have evolved to turn cancer into a curable disease.
Last year, cancer was the second leading cause of death in Germany and the second-biggest worldwide health problem, just after the COVID-19. Dealing with cancer poses a physical, emotional, and financial burden on individuals, families, societies, and governments. However, scientists and caregivers have done their best to make cancer the leading disease with active drugs in 2021. With 2021 behind us, let’s look back and mark the top tech-based cancer therapies with us.
Diagnosing and preventing cancer
Another level of diagnosing cancer
Cancer diagnosis must be early and precise, aided by high-tech healthcare facilities, up-to-date diagnosis technologies, and patients’ proactivity. With the push of extensive data analysis and A.I., cancer diagnosis fields are earning extra momentum in the coming years.
Liquid biopsy
Liquid biopsy analyzes tumors by biomarkers circulating in fluids, such as the blood (as shown in image 1), in the early detection of cancer. Yet, re-biopsies are a must during cancer treatments to better adjust treatment plans, challenging for patients and medical professionals.
New blood-based screening
The prostate cancer screening using a combination of risk-prediction, MRI, and targeted prostate biopsies (STHLM3-MRI) model (image 2) is as effective as the traditional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at detecting clinically significant prostate cancer.
Moreover, it can decrease the over-testing with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and biopsies. Implementing this new technology solves the over-detection of harmless, low-grade cancers and overtreatment.
OncoRes Medical’s visualization technique
OncoRes Medical’s visualization (Image 3) provides essential intraoperative information to surgeons during a lumpectomy. The A.I. integrating handheld device can identify the tumor separately from healthy tissue, substantially improving outcomes in breast-conserving surgery and reducing operation time for women with breast cancer.
Preventing cancer
Not only focusing on cancer detection as early as possible, but researchers are also on their way to taking a proactive step in preventing cancer, starting with vitamin D. Early-onset colon cancer is often more advanced at diagnosis. According to the journal Gastroenterology, the total vitamin D input of 300 international units (I.U.) or more occurs to be linked with as much as a 50% lower risk of developing early-onset colon cancer.
Cancer treatment
Exercising and Cholesterol reducing to better fight cancer.
TNBC currently accounts for 10% to 15% of all breast cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. These tumor cells do not have progesterone or estrogen receptors and over-express the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein, therefore not responding to regular hormone treatment or targeted drug therapy. Statins, generally used for cholesterol lessening, might decrease the spread of breast cancer cells. According to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, engaging in moderate-to-intense physical activity (P.A.) during the pre-and post-chemotherapy treatment period may help drain cognitive decline in breast cancer patients. The findings don’t definitively link more excellent physical activity and the prevention of chemo brain. However, maintaining physical activity during treatment for breast cancer is required as an essential tool for protecting cognitive function.
Artificial Intelligence in cancer treatment
Encompass Medicine uses A.I.-based algorithms to match genetic mutations found in patients’ tumor samples with effective targeted cancer therapies. This way, patients can receive customized treatments designed specifically to their cancer situation based on their individual molecular genetic profiles.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, UK, applies an A.I. deep-learning tool in cancer treatment for their patients. The pioneering treatment uses A.I. to inspect hospital data to identify tumors on patient scans. And it’s amazingly reliable, reducing C.T. processing times and treatment planning by up to 90%. In Netherland, researchers developed an evolutionary algorithm with intelligent search behavior to design better cancer treatment solutions at an ever-growing speed. In the future, trials should undoubtedly use more data and A.I. models. Building the right skill sets to integrate new technologies smoothly is highly required. Novel approaches such as silicon trials with advanced biological networks, organs-on-a-chip, or even network medicine will help choose suitable drug candidates within seconds.
Precision surgery
Most cancer treatments today eliminate not only cancerous cells but also healthy ones. The upcoming goal is delivering drugs only to cells that need to be treated. One potential solution is DNA cages, which can only open and activate the drug by the cancer cells (Image 6). The next level of this advanced targeted therapy uses light as a trigger to open the cage and release the drug inside.
Surgical robots have a lot of undiscovered potential. By making them the extension of the surgeon’s mind and skills, operating tumors in early stages or tumors close to sensitive organs might become more efficient than before. Today, surgical robots are equipped with 3D cameras that can record operations and stream simultaneously, assisting the surgeon in suturing, dissecting, and retracting tissue, showing more precision in surgery than ever.
However, the FDA recommends that all patients ask their surgeons beforehand, especially those requiring surgery to prevent or treat breast cancer, if robotically assisted surgery is on the list. In the case the robotic surgeon is needed, the surgeon’s training certificate, experience, and patient outcomes with RAS device procedures should be seriously discussed. The FDA has not established the safety and effectiveness of robotically assisted surgical (RAS) devices for mastectomy procedures to cancer prevention and treatment.
Post-treatment and care providing
Implanted and digestible sensors
Digestible Pillcams (Image 8) could be applied to perform non-invasive checkups on the home-based digestive system. Implanted sensors or digital tattoos could track and detect every essential vital sign, sending a warning to both the patient and the caregiver so that interventions can be planned as quickly as possible.
Pain management
Companies are now inventing devices that can ease suffering symptoms and side effects. A good example is Quell, and they developed a wearable technology with intensive nerve stimulation that can help monitor chronic pain. Another technology, virtual reality, can also help cancer patients reduce pain by distracting sensation.
Final thoughts
These technologies show a glimpse into the future — and in some cases, that future is here already. Most of them still have to prove their worth in clinical trials, and even in the best-case scenario, it will be several years until they are available. We need to keep pushing the limits to get to a stage where a cancer diagnosis is not a life-altering event that often brings an untimely end to a patient’s life, but at least a manageable, chronic condition.
