Breast cancer is the most diagnosed tumor in women: more than 35,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in Spain and more than 6,500 die. However, the survival of this tumor is really high: more than 80%, however, for the rest there is a long way to go and a lot of research still needs to be done.
And this is what researchers from the CRIS Foundation against cancer revealed, on the occasion of World Breast Cancer Day, which is celebrated every October 19. “Today, more than 80% of breast tumors have effective treatments, but for in others, nothing.
As explained by this entity, “the estimated probability of developing breast cancer as a woman is 1 in 8 and usually appears between the ages of 35 and 80, although the most high range of incidence is between 45 and 65. years, together with the menopausal period, according to GEICAM data.
Metastatic breast cancer is the worst type of this disease (when the tumor is not localized and has spread to other parts of the body. It is a tumor that still has no cure (with exceptions) but there are effective treatments which is beneficial Increase Survival So it is important, especially here, research is necessary and therefore, of course, funding.
“If we give enough resources to research, we will have effective treatments for the majority of breast tumors in a relatively near horizon. This is the work of all, public administrations and civil society, it is our obligation to do everything in our power so that science can improve and cure this disease suffered by young people,” said Marta Cardona, general director of the CRIS Foundation against cancer.
Molecular analysis techniques
In the last 30 years, there has been a huge change in the way breast cancer is understood and approached. At the end of the 90s, the first therapy aimed against the weak point of tumors appeared. Since then there has been a real revolution. Also, it was in the 90s when population screening for breast cancer began in Spain.
Thus, as explained by the specialists of this foundation, molecular and computational analysis techniques are developing at full speed. Thanks to them, we can study in detail the genetic material and other molecules of tumor cells, other components of their environment, the immune system, even the microbiota of patients.
In the case of molecular analysis, it facilitates the design of treatments directed against the particular characteristics of tumor cells, respecting healthy cells and reducing side effects, which in turn is one of the -first objective of the current research. And one of the ways to do this “is not only through therapies that damage healthy cells, but also by avoiding unnecessary treatment of patients who could benefit from other strategies,” the experts explained. .
Cancer immunotherapy
Undoubtedly, one of the greatest advances made in recent years is the appearance of immunotherapy against cancer: “It has changed the way of treating many tumors, although until now it seems that the right conditions do not exist in breast cancer. “For these therapies to work,” they explained from this foundation.
However, this is not always true: “It has been observed that in many patients with triple-negative breast tumors, immunotherapy can be effective, and in fact it is already used frequently. And even if patients with tumors that hormone positive is not common. respond to immunotherapy, there are patients who improve significantly with these therapies. It is important to know how to identify them, and this is one of the challenges that the CRIS Project for Hormonopositive Breast Cancer, directed by Dr. Aleix Prat -Hospital ClÃnic in Barcelona- .
In fact, “the attempt to determine in advance which patients are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy continues to be one of the greatest challenges in today’s medicine. the Dr. Alberto Ocaña -San Carlos Clinical Hospital”, they continued. Its purpose is to identify elements of the immune system that allow us to better predict which patients will be notified to receive immunotherapy.
