This Thursday, May 25, is the start of European Cancer Week. importance of preventionresearch and the need for psychosocial support for cancer patients.

Cancer is defined as disease disease: can appear anywhere in the body, regardless of gender or age, and degenerate cells to the point of death if they are not detected and treated at an early stage. Today she continues to be medical and scientific taskbut also social

Improving the diagnosis, improving the approach, discovering new targets or finding innovative treatments for cancer are some of the main challenges for the coming years. Problems that become key to be able to successfully fight the future of this disease.

CAR-T therapy

CAR-T treatment appeared in Spain almost five years ago, opening a door of hope for patients with blood cancer. The results support the use of these therapies in patients who, to date, several therapeutic alternatives and life expectancy of about six months.

The results of some of these treatments are life-changing for diseases such as diffuse lymphoma, with more than one in four patients still alive more than five years after infusion.

He increase in authorized centers for the distribution of these therapies, as well as their extension to earlier lines and other diseases such as mantle lymphoma, leukemia or myeloma, opens the door for the transformation of hemato-oncology.

smoking

Despite current laws and an anti-smoking campaign active around the world, there are still around 1.3 billion smokers according to the UN and 8.8 million in Spain, according to the Spanish Association for the Control of Cancer (AECC). ). Numbers that make tobacco cessation one of the top social issues around the world, as it is still the leading cause of lung cancer and is also present in 20 other types, such as the larynx, mouth, bladder, pancreas or liver, also increase from 10 to 30.% chance of getting breast cancer. In fact, people who smoke 15 to 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer or die from this disease compared to those who don’t.

To promote its remission among the population, since February last year, health care has funded all quotesdrug that allows you to quit the habit in less than a month, because it is based on cytisine, a plant alkaloid that reaches reduce addiction to nicotine.

While global tobacco use has declined over the past two decades from 32.7% of the world’s population in 2000 to 22.3% in 2020, the challenge remains the implementation of new regulations, awareness campaigns and drug development that are gradually reducing tobacco consumption. their consumption will reach 20.4%, according to WHO estimates for 2025.

mammary cancer

Breast cancer continues to be a problem worldwide, especially with more complex diagnoses. This is a case of metastatic triple negative, the most aggressive and lethal breast carcinoma in existence. Only 12% of patients survive for 5 years compared to 28% of patients with other types of metastatic breast cancer.

Historically, it had the fewest treatment options, until last December the course of the disease in our country changed with the inclusion of SNS sacituzumab govitecanthe first drug in history to improve overall survival in more than 70% of women with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, giving patients unprecedented hope.

was also included trastuzumab deruxtecan, a therapy indicated for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer unresectable patients and/or patients with metastases previously treated with anti-HER regimens. While these two drugs are changing the course of two very dangerous types of cancer, the challenge for improving breast cancer rates in general is to boost early detection programs, research and development of personalized medicine, and simplify the drug approval process for some patients. that matters every day.

colorectal cancer

He the most common cancer among the population and second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer. In the group of tumors of the digestive tract, it has the best survival rate; but there are several challenges to be faced in the coming years, all aimed at reducing its incidence by avoiding controllable risk factors. Obesity, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol or tobacco use are some of them, besides the lack of public awareness.

According to the “Study of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behavior of People Aged 50 to 69 Regarding the Colon Cancer Screening Program”, although 82% are aware of colorectal cancer screening programs, only 62.5% confirm that they have been tested. Some data showing need to educate people about risk factors for the disease, improving its prevention and the importance of early diagnosis, which requires that all people with an average risk participate fully in these programs.

Pancreas cancer

Survival in pancreatic cancer remains a challenge in oncology. Known as the “silent killer”, this type of tumor is one of the deadliest in the world, with a five-year survival rate of 5% worldwide.

This figure is increasing in Spain, according to the 2023 SEOM data, which puts a five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer at 7%, the lowest survival rate of any common tumor.

WITH more than 9000 cases are diagnosed per year in our countrythe problem is that its early detection is very difficult, given that the symptoms appear in the late stages of the disease, and if it is impossible to operate, effective therapeutic options are limited. Added to this are a large number of risk factors that can be associated with this tumor, such as tobacco, overweight and poor diet, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, and exposure to certain chemicals.

Thus, with this cancer, there is a twofold challenge: on the one hand, to diagnose it at an early stage, and on the other hand, to urgently improve treatment methods, although innovative treatments are already being developed, such as nanoparticles, biomarkers for targeted therapy, immunotherapy or virotherapy.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common malignant tumor in Spain. About 10% of men develop this tumor throughout their lives, and according to the AECC Cancer Observatory, more than 33,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in our country. The same organization that indicates that prostate cancer is the third cause of death in Spain due to cancer in men, after lung and colorectal cancer.

Age is a major risk factor for getting it; in fact, 90% of cases are diagnosed in people over the age of 65, so early detection becomes more important with age.

Although, in general terms, this is a type of cancer that is potentially curable with local therapies such as surgery or radiation therapy, the challenge lies in continuing to develop new treatments and in facilitating early detection when periodic reviews, especially after the 50s , is of particular importance, since it is advisable to conduct periodic medical examinations, in which a digital rectal examination and a blood test for signs of cancer are performed.

mental health

Mental health gains recognition over the years. Although until recently this was a taboo subject for the general population, today it is one of the most important issues that are part of the approach to any disease.

In the case of cancer patients, when they receive a diagnosis, both they and their environment begin to experience a situation of extreme uncertainty and begin a painful path both emotionally and physically. For this reason, in addition to addressing medical and scientific concerns, numerous cancer patient associations emphasize the importance of psycho-oncological support for mental health throughout the entire process, from diagnosis to completion of treatment.

In fact, in the same sense, the impact of good mental health on cancer treatment outcomes has begun to be studied. One of the challenges facing people with cancer is the stigma associated with them, which prompted the government to recently announce its commitment to immediately implement the “cancer right to be forgotten” to prevent patients from being remembered for their medical history, and this is spilling over into any type of discrimination or stigmatization.