When I was a medical student (1973-1979) we had a professor called cancer Subbarao who was a general surgeon concentrating on cancer surgery 9 there were no specialities like oncological surgery in those days in India . During those times one of my professors likened Chemotherapy for cancer as throwing a grenade in to an ammo dump and predicted there should be new methodologies in the near future. this was four decades ago. late but not never we are seeing some changes in thinking about cancer therapy.
"There is a broad consensus that cancer is, in essence, a genetic disease and that accumulation of molecular alterations in the genome of somatic cells is the basis of cancer progression (Fig. 1.1). 1 In the past 10 years, the availability of the human genome sequence and progress in DNA sequencing technologies has dramatically improved knowledge of this disease. These new insights are transforming the field of oncology at multiple levels: 1. The genomic maps are redesigning the tumor taxonomy by moving it from a histologic- to a genetic-based level. 2. The success of cancer drugs designed to target the molecular alterations underlying tumorigenesis has proven that somatic genetic alterations are legitimate targets for therapy. 3. Tumor genotyping is helping clinicians individualize treatments by matching patients with the best treatment for their tumors. 4. Tumor-specific DNA alterations represent highly sensitive biomarkers for disease detection and monitoring. 5. Finally, the ongoing analyses of multiple cancer genomes will identify additional targets, whose pharmacologic exploitation will undoubtedly result in new therapeutic approaches."
"There is a broad consensus that cancer is, in essence, a genetic disease and that accumulation of molecular alterations in the genome of somatic cells is the basis of cancer progression (Fig. 1.1). 1 In the past 10 years, the availability of the human genome sequence and progress in DNA sequencing technologies has dramatically improved knowledge of this disease. These new insights are transforming the field of oncology at multiple levels: 1. The genomic maps are redesigning the tumor taxonomy by moving it from a histologic- to a genetic-based level. 2. The success of cancer drugs designed to target the molecular alterations underlying tumorigenesis has proven that somatic genetic alterations are legitimate targets for therapy. 3. Tumor genotyping is helping clinicians individualize treatments by matching patients with the best treatment for their tumors. 4. Tumor-specific DNA alterations represent highly sensitive biomarkers for disease detection and monitoring. 5. Finally, the ongoing analyses of multiple cancer genomes will identify additional targets, whose pharmacologic exploitation will undoubtedly result in new therapeutic approaches."
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