We’ve all read the depressing headlines. At times it can feel that, when it comes to beating cancer, there isn’t much good news to share.
But Dr Samuel Godfrey, Senior Research Information Manager at Cancer Research UK, suggests there’s actually a lot to celebrate — with phenomenal breakthroughs already being made and many more on the horizon.
He says: ‘There’s a huge amount of optimism in the scientific community right now about the advances being made. Cancer is the most complex challenge humans have ever faced, with one in two of us likely to get the disease in our lifetime. Yet there have already been a huge number of breakthroughs.’
Back in 1970, if you were diagnosed with cancer, you had a 50 per cent chance of living for one year. Today, you have a 50 per cent chance of beating your disease.
‘Cancer has gone from being a disease that’s a complete mystery to us — to us now knowing what’s behind it, driving it and making it tick,’ says Dr Godfrey. ‘Of course, there’s always more research to do, but today we have the knowledge and technology to actually start to make some sizeable dents in cancer.
‘This is mirrored by the fact that half of the people with cancer are now surviving, and that’s only going to get better.
‘By 2034, we’re hoping that the cancer landscape will look very different, with potentially three- quarters of people surviving the disease. There’s already been some incredible progress, and there’s lots more in the pipeline.’
Here, Dr Godfrey reveals some of the exciting milestones so far…
Cervical cancer
‘We were the people who helped to confirm that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) was behind cervical cancer cases,’ says Dr Godfrey. ‘So discovering that the HPV vaccine has dramatically reduced cervical cancer rates by nearly 90 per cent, when given between the ages of 12 and 13, has been a historic moment in our work to beat cancer.
‘This vaccination programme will save thousands of lives by protecting women from developing cervical cancer and stopping pre-cancerous changes to cells. In fact, by 2030, it may be possible that cervical cancer can be eliminated as a public health problem altogether.’
Breast cancer
Dr Godfrey says: ‘Breast cancer is another area where we’ve made phenomenal progress. Thanks to research developing new tests and better treatments, three-quarters of women now beat breast cancer.
‘And things should only get better. Hopefully soon it may be possible to use blood tests to spot the early warning signs of breast cancer, and to identify the right treatments for each individual. This could be game-changing in ensuring that people are diagnosed and offered the most effective treatments sooner.
‘Not only will this help to save lives, but it also means we can offer a better quality of life to those with cancer too.’
Testicular cancer
‘Testicular cancer is probably where we’ve made the most progress,’ says Dr Godfrey. ‘Years ago, around 60 to 70 per cent of men survived testicular cancer. These days, practically everyone survives, and that is largely down to the discovery of a type of platinum-based chemotherapy and new drugs.’
Lung cancer
Dr Godfrey says: ‘We’re now beginning to see more people survive lung cancer. In the 1970s, just three per cent survived. Today, we’re getting closer to 10 per cent. That’s partly due to treatments like immunotherapy.
‘Groundbreaking research into lung cancer is also helping us to identify which treatments are likely to be the most effective for each individual. Research is also identifying
how an individual’s cancer will change when exposed to those treatments. This is revolutionary, as it means that we can start to be proactive instead of reactive when treating cancer.
‘Using advanced genetic technology, researchers have also been able to predict lung cancers that are going to return, more than a year before the most sensitive scans could pick them up. This breakthrough means we can be ready with the right treatments at the earliest possible stage.’
Edited by Stephanie May
● Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. Find out more at cancerresearchuk.org