New cancer treatment approaches
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy work because of their toxic effect on cancer cells. They have their strongest effects on cells that are dividing (growing) rapidly, as cancer cells do. However, because they are toxic to normal cells too, these therapies cause unwanted side effects, which can sometimes be severe.
New cancer treatments are needed that have fewer side effects and are more effective. New experimental therapies are being investigated and researched all the time, in order to:
- Cure more types of cancer
- Treat some types of cancer more effectively
- Offer new treatments with fewer side effects
Many of the potential new cancer treatments being investigated are based on substances made by our own bodies to fight disease. Many are “targeted therapies” , directed at particular features of cancer cells.
Hormone therapy
This method uses hormones, or drugs that block them, to treat some types of cancer that need hormones to develop – such as breast and prostate cancer.
Hormones are natural substances made by glands and carried around the body in the blood stream. They control the growth and activity of certain cells and organs. By stopping the production of hormones or preventing them from reaching the cancer cells, hormone therapy can slow down or stop cancer growth.
Immunotherapy
Another potential new cancer treatment approach, called immunotherapy, uses the body’s own natural defense systems to fight the tumor. This approach is based on the knowledge that our own immune system recognizes and fights cancer cells, although sometimes without success. You can find out more about this potential new cancer treatment in the Cancer Immunotherapy section of the site.
