• Question: will we ever cure cancer

    Asked by Jack to Yinka, Stéphane, Matt, Juhi, Gemma, David on 8 Mar 2018. This question was also asked by Emily, Teza & Emi.
    • Photo: David Howard

      David Howard answered on 8 Mar 2018:

      Hopefully we can make real progress in identifying cancer early, as this will really help in treating it. There has been huge progress in techniques for curing cancer and hopefully one day we can beat it.

    • Photo: Juhi Gupta

      Juhi Gupta answered on 8 Mar 2018:

      Having done research on cancer in the past, I learnt that there are many unanswered questions about cancer. Cell division is a natural process, which happens in most of the cell types in our body. However minor changes in our genetics can build up over time, which can contribute to conditions such as cancer. Scientists are working hard to try and find out as much as possible in order to then find suitable treatments for the different types of cancers. We already know about a few of these and the more research we do, the more we can find out. So it is possible that in the future we can help develop more or even new effective treatments.

    • Photo: Stéphane Berneau

      Stéphane Berneau answered on 8 Mar 2018:

      I believe in the advanced development in Science and Research and hopefully, cancer will be able to be cured.

    • Photo: Gemma Chandratillake

      Gemma Chandratillake answered on 9 Mar 2018:

      I think we will understand, detect, treat, and monitor cancer much better in the near future. I’m really excited about recent genetic and genomic developments in cancer research as the much cheaper DNA sequencing we now have available has flung the door wide open on many aspects of our approaches to cancer care. We are currently trying to figure out how to use this technology best in the NHS, but here are the basic directions things are going in:
      1) Using DNA sequencing to classify tumours by their genetic signatures is already meaning that we have the potential to personalise cancer treatment in a way that simply hasn’t been available until now – this will mean more effective treatments and less side effects: https://crukcambridgecentre.org.uk/news/personalised-breast-cancer-program-launches-cambridge
      2) Detecting DNA from tumours that circulates in the blood means that we will be able to screen for cancer before someone develops symptoms of cancer
      3) Detecting DNA from tumours that circulates in the blood means that we will be able to monitor whether a patient’s tumour has come back and know that earlier than before
      4) Sequencing DNA of tumours means that we find people who had a genetic tendency to develop cancer. This means that we can check for this genetic tendency in their family members and offer them earlier screening for cancer in order to catch it earlier in those who are at high-risk of developing it.
      Here is a great example for screening for cancer using DNA sequencing that is being brought into GPs offices: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-trial-looking-at-the-cytosponge-test-in-gp-surgeries-for-people-with-heartburn-symptoms-best3#undefined
      So, the short answer is, cancer is not one disease and so it is unlikely that we will discover a single cure, but DNA sequencing is going to really help us figure out what best to do for each case of cancer, as well as increase our ability to catch it early.

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