replace chemotherapy

[Itoero]

Is there anything being developed to replace chemotherapy?

Many people die because of the treatment (chemo) they get to 'cure' them. People with a recurring cancer are often to weak to survive a new treatment.

I found an interesting paper which states that trehalose can induce autophagy in mammalian cells. Trehalose has also been reported to have a cytoprotective effects on cells subjected to various stressors, including oxidative damage, dehydration and temperature changes.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4916512/

This paper talks about trehalose-based compounds as novel inhibitors of cancer cell migration and invasion.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25855371

Does something like trehalose hold the promise to develop a chemo-replacement?

This article is about an immunotherapy to treat cancer(a Hong Kong cancer therapy).http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2113564/new-cancer-treatment-could-replace-chemotherapy-10

I'm probably wrong but it looks imo that medical science doesn't develop much. It's a billion-dollar cancer treatment industry controlled by the pharmaceutical companies....

[CharonY]

2 hours ago, Itoero said:

I'm probably wrong but it looks imo that medical science doesn't develop much. It's a billion-dollar cancer treatment industry controlled by the pharmaceutical companies....

The biggest hurdle In my opinion is that we do not understand many functions in cell biology (cancer or not). Moreover, much of what we figure out is based on animal or in vitro models. There is actually a ton of cancer research, but funding to understand basic cellular processes are, again IMO underfunded. The pharma industry has little influence as they generally do not fund basic research to begin with and they have little influence on cancer research funded e.g. by the NIH (or equivalent).

That being said, immunotherapy currently sees a lot of funding and there are promising results for certain types of cancer.

[Prometheus]

Given cancer survival is increasing something right is being done.

There are also vaccine programs for various cancers - i know of prostate and cervical cancers vaccines, but i think others are being developed.

One alternative that seems stigmatised is simply doing nothing (other than palliative care to relieve symptoms). Some people with advanced cancer are given the choice of chemo to buy a chance at a few more months of life, not realising the cost is some pretty nasty treatment and frequent hospital visits. For some people trying every option available no matter what is the right choice. For other people relieving the symptoms and letting the disease take it's course is the right choice. But the latter should be regarded as a viable option.

[Itoero]

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) responsible for brain damage in Huntington’s patients are also toxic to cancer cells, according to researchers at Northwestern University. The findings, published yesterday (February 12) in EMBO Reports, could provide a novel approach to cancer therapy.

The siRNAs found in Huntington’s kill cancer cells by targeting genes with complementary TNRs. Using the molecules, Murmann and her colleagues were able to induce cell death in human and mouse ovarian, breast, prostate, liver, brain, lung, skin, and colon cancer cell lines. They also slowed tumor growth in mice with human ovarian cancer, with no toxicity to normal tissues.https://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/51781/title/Molecule-Found-in-Huntington-s-Patients-Kills-Cancer-Cells/

I find this extremely hopeful.