The Eternal Promise: A Cancer Cure on the Horizon

In the eternal battle against cancer, humanity has oscillated between hope and despair, between significant advances and challenging setbacks. Today, we find ourselves at a turning point, where science offers us a glimpse of what an era without cancer could be, but still with the caution that the road is long and winding.

Before starting I would like to explain what cancer consists of so that you understand it in a simple way with an example:

Imagine that your body is a big company where the cells are the workers. Each worker has an instruction manual (the DNA) that tells him how he should act and when he should stop working (die). Normally, everything works well and the company (your body) stays healthy.
But sometimes, some workers' instruction manual gets damaged. This may be due to errors when copying the manual, or due to external damage such as tobacco smoke or solar radiation. When this happens, those workers (cells) begin to act incorrectly: they refuse to stop working and begin to divide uncontrollably, creating more and more defective workers.

These rogue workers build up and form what we call a tumor. If the tumor is benign, it stays in place and does not cause much problem. But if it's malignant, it can send other rogue workers (cancer cells) to different parts of the company (your body) to create more problems, what we know as metastasis.

This process of damage and uncontrolled division of cells is called carcinogenesis and can take many years to develop. That's why prevention and early detection are so important to keep business (your body) running smoothly.

Advances and Challenges

Advances in cancer research have been remarkable. We have seen how immune therapy has transformed the treatment of certain types of cancer, offering patients not only more time but a better quality of life. Survival rates have increased and, in some cases, we can speak of long-term remission.
Cancer is a complex and multifaceted disease. There is no “one cure” that can be applied to all types and stages of cancer. Each case is unique and requires a personalized approach1. Furthermore, remission is not synonymous with cure. A complete remission can last for years, but the risk of recurrence is always present.

The deadliest type of cancer is lung cancer. According to the most recent data, lung cancer caused approximately 1.8 million deaths in 2020. It is known to be particularly lethal because it is often diagnosed in advanced stages, when treatment options are more limited. In addition, factors such as smoking are main causes of this type of cancer, which contributes to its high mortality rate.

It is important to note that, although lung cancer is the most deadly, other types of cancer also have high mortality rates, such as liver, colorectal, gastric and breast cancer. Early detection and appropriate treatment are essential to improve survival rates for all types of cancer.

The Reality of the Cure

The ability to cure cancer depends on many factors, including the type and stage of cancer, as well as the individual's response to treatment. Some types of cancer are more likely to be curable than others, but each case must be approached and treated individually.

Innovations in the fight against cancer are advancing in several promising branches. Here are some key areas where significant progress is being made:

• Early Detection: Technologies such as CytoCatch are emerging to improve early cancer detection and monitoring, allowing doctors to obtain continuous information about the patient's status.
• Precision Oncology: This approach focuses on studying the genetic makeup and molecular characteristics of each patient's tumors, allowing the development of personalized and specific treatments that can be less harmful to healthy cells and have fewer side effects.
• Artificial Intelligence and DNA Sequencing: These technologies are improving cancer diagnosis and treatment, helping to identify changes in cells that could be causing cancer growth and spread.
• Biological Therapy and Immunotherapy: New drugs and drug combinations are being tested to treat cancer more effectively by harnessing the body's own immune system to fight cancer cells.
• CRISPR Technology for Gene Editing: This revolutionary technology allows scientists to edit DNA and could be key to correcting cancer-causing genetic mutations.

The cure for cancer may be closer than we think, but it may also be further away than we wish. What is certain is that science does not stop, and every day brings us closer to that desired goal. The fight continues, and with it, our hope.