Cancer Biology, Epidemiology, and Treatment in the 21st Century: Current Status and Future Challenges From a Biomedical Perspective. (13th September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Piña-Sánchez, Patricia; Chávez-González, Antonieta; Ruiz-Tachiquín, Martha; Vadillo, Eduardo; Monroy-García, Alberto; Montesinos, Juan José; Grajales, Rocío; Gutiérrez de la Barrera, Marcos; Mayani, Hector
• Is Part Of: Cancer control. Volume 28(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09-13
• Subjects: cancer -- cell therapy -- epidemiology -- epigenomics -- genomics -- immunotherapy -- metastasis -- stem cells -- targeted therapy; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Diagnosis -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Palliative treatment -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention; Medical Oncology; Neoplasms -- prevention & control; Neoplasms -- therapy; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.994005
• DOI: 10.1177/10732748211038735
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1073-2748

Abstract

Since the second half of the 20th century, our knowledge about the biology of cancer has made extraordinary progress. Today, we understand cancer at the genomic and epigenomic levels, and we have identified the cell that starts neoplastic transformation and characterized the mechanisms for the invasion of other tissues. This knowledge has allowed novel drugs to be designed that act on specific molecular targets, the immune system to be trained and manipulated to increase its efficiency, and ever more effective therapeutic strategies to be developed. Nevertheless, we are still far from winning the war against cancer, and thus biomedical research in oncology must continue to be a global priority. Likewise, there is a need to reduce unequal access to medical services and improve prevention programs, especially in countries with a low human development index.