The Future of Cancer - An Experts Opinion on World Cancer Day

With today being World Cancer Day, one of Australia's leading experts Professor Timothy Hughes, says cancers will become easier to treat in our lifetime.
Professor Hughes, University of Adelaide Beat Cancer Professor and Cancer Theme Leader at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), says chemotherapy will take a back step and most cancers will become easier to treat – but not be eradicated – in our lifetime.
"We're not going to eradicate cancer any time soon, but there have been some major developments that will lead to many cancers being more easily treatable" Professor Hughes says.
"One of the most exciting developments is targeted therapy, where the key mutant proteins or “drivers” of a leukaemia or cancer are identified, enabling small molecules to be developed to shut them down. This is already having a dramatic impact on the treatment of many leukaemias and it will likely become the backbone of cancer treatment," he says. "Chemotherapy will eventually take a back step."
Another major field of research is in harnessing the body's own immune system to control or destroy cancer cells.
"We now have the tools to be able to manipulate the immune system in a safe and more targeted way. It is becoming possible to genetically engineer a patient’s immune cells so that they can specifically target and eradicate their own tumour cells. Initial trials of this approach in some leukaemias have begun," Professor Hughes says.
"Of course, many cancers specifically block the immune system from attacking them. We are now testing a new range of drugs that knock out the cancer's ability to do that."
To find out more about World Cancer Day, click here