Advocacy

Cancer Advocacy
Cancer is a broad term that defines many diseases. During cancer, abnormal cells divide without control and can spread to other tissues. In the US in 2009, there were 1,479,350 new cases of cancer (not including non-melanoma skin cancers), and 562,340 deaths from cancer. The exact cause of cancer is not known, and probably differs between different types of cancer. However, most cancers share common properties. Cells don’t die when they should and new cells are produced at high rates. In many cancers, the extra cells form solid masses called tumors.

Cancer can be caused by a variety of different factors and may develop over a number of years. The risk of developing many types of cancer can be reduced by practicing healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise, using adequate sun protection, not smoking, and reducing exposure to harmful environments (second hand smoke, radiation, pesticides, dioxins, etc.).

Some factors for cancer cannot be controlled, such as age, gender, and genetic background. In these cases, early detection is key. The sooner a cancer is found and treatment begins, the better the chances are that the treatment will be successful. Screening tests include physical exams, laboratory tests, imaging procedures, and genetic tests. Not all screening tests are helpful and most have risks. It is important to know the benefits and risks associated with each test. It is important to talk with your doctor to decide on the best course of action for your particular situation.

Once cancer has been diagnosed, there are four main types of treatment:
Surgical therapy- tumors are carefully dissected away from normal tissue. Surgery can be used as a primary treatment, or to decrease the bulk of a tumor and permit more effective treatments through other routes.

Radiation therapy- ionizing radiation is used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy often comes from a machine outside the body, but some therapies place capsules of radiation in the tumor itself. Radiation must be carefully focused on the tumor to avoid damage to healthy tissue.

Chemotherapy- Small drugs are used to slow or stop cell growth. Cancer cells divide rapidly and are especially susceptible to chemo. Chemo can also harm other quickly dividing cells.

Biological therapies- A new class of drugs that are being developed to target cancer cells directly and stop, control, or suppress processes that permit cancer growth.

PRISM researchers have discovered:

• New tumor models that, for the first time, replicate therapeutic responses seen in human cancer patients.
• Endothelial cells linking blood vessels create significant drug delivery barriers that can reduce and even eliminate the effectiveness of otherwise good drugs.
• Endothelial cells provide targets accessible to drugs circulating in the blood and a natural way to transport drugs into the tumor where they can be very effective.

By targeting tumor-specific endothelial cell proteins, therapies can be concentrated inside the tumor. Tumors will receive a high dose of drug, while surrounding healthy tissue is spared. PRISM is working hard to apply these new findings to human patients with cancer.

Additional Information and Resources