Research Assesment #1
Date: September 4, 2020
Subject: Improvement in the cancer field as of 2020 and outlooks for the future
Citation:Olsen, Karen. "Experts Forecast Cancer Research Advances in 2020: AACR Blog." American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 10 Jan. 2020, www.aacr.org/professionals/blog/experts-forecast-cancer-research-and-treatment-advances-in-2020/.
Assessment:
The progress in the oncology field this decade preceding 2020 has been enormous, the most surprising development has been the incredible growth in the area of immunotherapy. Finding a pathway to enable the body's immune system to be able to better recognize and attack cancer cells is a major focus in the field of oncology.
While these improvements and new findings has become common in the last decade, questions still remain as to why some people respond better to treatments than others. It comes as no surprise that genetics is one of the defining factors to the availability of a treatment plan, and although scientists are able to use stratified medicine which identifies subgroups of patients with distinct mechanisms of a particular disease it only works for some cancer types. Precision medicine is the way of the future because it strives to personally tailor treatment plans and strategies based on an individual's cancer and will lead to less of an unpredictable outcome. furthermore artificial intelligence will continue to expand and help oncologists to analyze images in order to decide the correct treatment pathway. Currently, some people have little or no improvement with immunotherapy. The ability to understand their failures as well as their successes, will help to figure out what works. The improvement of cancer treatment does not stop at treatment. Cancer prevention also forges a pathway towards the future. More research will go towards preventing, treating, and early recognition for a more predictable outcome. Where as if the identification of the problem is recognized earlier, more options and better outcomes will become available to the patient. Additionally identifying people with premalignant conditions, which of whom are more susceptible to developing specific cancers, will become more commonly used in the future. In order to have more prevention behavioral science research is needed. The study of why certain people have certain habits despite knowing the risks and understanding how or why the brain overrides the warning system. Through more implications and improvement in technology communication and research cancer outcomes prevention and results are the leading goals of the treatment of cancer. Nonetheless research advantages have occured in 2020. With more goals of including a diverse population in clinical studies, which will help varie the genes being examined and observed as in addition to research on environmental factors is expected to take effect this year. In the meantime presentation methods such as HPV vaccination, tobacco control, and cancer screening - can help prevent risk factors that could lead to being diagnosed with cancer. Nonetheless another important factor of preventative methods is the availability of cancer genetic testing for individuals with cancer and their family members. About ten percent of all cancers are hereditary and may become preventable with genetic testing and the ability to identify mutation carriers. Overall cancer treatments may seem like rolling the dice but with more research in the next decades about immunotherapy, genetics research, early recognition and precision medicine, will tailor a prevention and treatment plan that will be tailored to each individual's needs.