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| ORAL PRESENTATIONS |
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| Year : 2021 | Volume
: 6
| Issue : 1 | Page : 73-75 |
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New innovations in cancer treatment, a web search of literature
O Popoola Margaret, B Popoola Olayinka, A Mohammed Bello
| Date of Web Publication | 30-Jun-2021 |
Correspondence Address:
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
How to cite this article:
Margaret O P, Olayinka B P, Bello A M. New innovations in cancer treatment, a web search of literature. J Med Womens Assoc Niger 2021;6:73-5 |
How to cite this URL:
Margaret O P, Olayinka B P, Bello A M. New innovations in cancer treatment, a web search of literature. J Med Womens Assoc Niger [serial online] 2021 [cited 2022 Aug 18];6:73-5. Available from: http://www.jmwan.org/text.asp?2021/6/1/73/319859 |
| Outline | |  |
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
AIM
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
| Introduction | | |
World over innovations in various fields of medicine are ongoing, bringing to people much needed breakthroughs and medical solutions. The field of Oncology has not been left out as many giant strides have been made in areas of research as well as actual treatment. Medical innovation is about challenging the status quo and sometimes, conventional wisdom to uncover new, better and/or more efficient ways to achieve longevity and good health.
It was Eric Topol the author of 'The Creative Destruction of Medicine' who wrote and I quote: “This is the most exciting time in the history of medicine. If we can make some radical changes to accommodate the enormous opportunities, there will be better health at lower costs for many generations to come”.
In climes with this kind of mindset, tangible results have been recorded as will be sparingly highlighted this work.
| Background | | |
Over the past 20 years, the cancer survivor population has grown by 22%, that's about 1.5 million more people who beat the disease, thanks to
- early detection
- lower smoking rates
- better screening practices and
- improvements in treatment therapies
Today's medical landscape is rich with promising innovations to
- Treat and prevent cancer as well as
- Help patient patients lead healthier lives during and after treatment.
| Aim | | |
To show case some of the cutting edge technological advances ongoing all over the world in order to stir the drive for innovative local researches in Nigeria.
| Method | | |
A web search and analysis of multiple professional, scholarly articles and convention materials
| Result | | |
A web search of 21 literatures revealed the Precision Medicine Initiative - a bold new research effort to revolutionize how we improve health and how we treat disease in the area of Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment Monitoring and Providing care.
The search brought to the fore the most promising cancer treatment of our time - Immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy is a powerful developing therapy with the potential to impact all cancer types, changing the way cancer is treated and cured forever.
Recent studies have shown that a single shot of targeted radiation called intra-operative radiation therapy given at the time of breast surgery is just as effective in treating breast cancer as whole breast radiation over several courses.
While researchers from South Korea have engineered a strain of bacteria that infiltrates tumors and fools the body's immune system into attacking cancer cells, a host of innovations are ongoing round the world ranging from:
- Joint therapy ( Immunotherapy + Chemotherapy) to
- CT Scans for early lung cancer detection,
- Selective Genomic Testing,
- Teaching cancer cells to behave,
- Hepatitis B drug which stops liver cancer,
- Personalized genomics, and
- Breast implants embedded with chemotherapy drugs that could deliver targeted treatments to patients.
Other innovations are;
- Gene therapy
- Laser therapy
- Application of nanotechnology(nanoparticles therapeutics)
- RNA interference therapy,
- Photosensitizer
- Hyperthermia
Tech Innovations transforming Cancer care abound
- Liquid biopsies - simple, non - invasive alternative to surgical biopsies
- Brachytherapy - oldest form of radiotherapy being given a modern role thanks to technology that enables cancer treatment with high precision presently uses cesium with limited risk of radiation side effects
- iknife - intelligent scarpel that can tell surgeons if the tissue being cut is cancerous
- Nanobubbles
- Genetic kits - home testing genetic kits
The search highlighted the fact that gains in cancer survival over the last few decades have resulted in millions of additional life years and trillions in social value for Americans. The 5years survival rates of cancer patients are increasing.
It also brings to the fore the fact that new drugs are no small part of this medical miracle. The USA has experienced greater health outcomes in cancer compared to those experienced in the EU, which has exceeded the additional costs of spending.
| Discussion | | |
Conventional health technology assessments fail to capture the full and true value of innovative cancer drugs to both patients and society. Healthy consumers value and are willing to pay more for generous policies that cover high cost cancer treatments.
Policy makers need to incorporate what patients value most in cancer treatment into their technology assessments and debates about drug pricing.
| Conclusion | | |
Medical innovations are the greatest source of longer, healthier life and economic prosperity. In the 21st century, medical innovations will dramatically improve health outcomes, reduce overall cost of health care and stimulate the growth of the global economy, producing a world that can be free of cancers. It is only sensible that even the developing world should follow the path of innovative cancer researches and treatment.
[2]
| References | | |
| 1. | American Cancer Society, 2016 Eric Topol, The Creative Destruction of Medicine  |
| 2. | Snider J. T et al. The Option Value of Innovation Forum for Health Economics & Policy 2012, 15(2) |
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