British Science Week: 10 of the biggest changes in cancer research over the last 20 years

This year’s British Science Week runs from 10^th–19^th March, and the theme is ‘change’.

We asked 10 of our experts across a range of areas to tell us how they think cancer research has changed over the last 20 years, and what might be on the horizon.

We’ll be updating this post across the week with their thoughts.

Surgery – Professor Arnie Purushotham, our senior clinical advisor

Surgery is moving towards a ‘less is more’ approach. Previously, doctors used to be more cautious, removing healthy tissue to reduce the risk of cancer cells being left behind.

But now surgeons are using more precise methods to leave as much normal tissue in place, reducing side effects and improving patients’ quality of life.

It’s about using targeted surgery that’s appropriate for the disease in front of you.

Surgery cures more cancers than any other treatment

There’s been an explosion in research to help this, including using new imaging methods based on optical and molecular techniques. Doctors are also using the tools available in more innovative ways.

They can flip the traditional order of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy to try to shrink a tumour before removing it.

Or they might test out new treatments while a patient is waiting for surgery so that the way a tumour responds can help in choosing drug treatment after the operation.

I’m well aware that my colleagues may think that my vision for the future is heresy, but I see a world where, in some cases, other forms of treatment may cure a patient and leave surgeons turning their hand to other things.

 

Gabi, Justine & Michael

from Cancer Research UK – Science blog http://ift.tt/2mpZKeA

This year’s British Science Week runs from 10^th–19^th March, and the theme is ‘change’.

We asked 10 of our experts across a range of areas to tell us how they think cancer research has changed over the last 20 years, and what might be on the horizon.

We’ll be updating this post across the week with their thoughts.

Surgery – Professor Arnie Purushotham, our senior clinical advisor

Surgery is moving towards a ‘less is more’ approach. Previously, doctors used to be more cautious, removing healthy tissue to reduce the risk of cancer cells being left behind.

But now surgeons are using more precise methods to leave as much normal tissue in place, reducing side effects and improving patients’ quality of life.

It’s about using targeted surgery that’s appropriate for the disease in front of you.

Surgery cures more cancers than any other treatment

There’s been an explosion in research to help this, including using new imaging methods based on optical and molecular techniques. Doctors are also using the tools available in more innovative ways.

They can flip the traditional order of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy to try to shrink a tumour before removing it.

Or they might test out new treatments while a patient is waiting for surgery so that the way a tumour responds can help in choosing drug treatment after the operation.

I’m well aware that my colleagues may think that my vision for the future is heresy, but I see a world where, in some cases, other forms of treatment may cure a patient and leave surgeons turning their hand to other things.

 

Gabi, Justine & Michael

from Cancer Research UK – Science blog http://ift.tt/2mpZKeA