Cancer is one of a kind
If you’ve ever wondered why cancer is still such an unmet need despite advancements in research, a simplified explanation would be that no two cancers are entirely the same.
On a molecular level, the genetic drivers of cancer are incredibly unique and must be treated as such.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the third tissue-agnostic cancer treatment — those that target tumors based on a specific biomarker, independent of where the tumors are located in the body. This marks great strides in cancer research, as we are increasingly moving away from the previous method of grouping cancers based off their anatomical location.
A new perspective on tumors
In the past, patients were treated whether they were diagnosed with skin or lung cancer. However, we are currently discovering that it may be much more effective to treat cancers depending on the underlying biology inside the tumors rather than where tumors are located in the body. A case of skin cancer might have more in common with one of lung cancer rather than another case of skin cancer. With the current state of science and technology, coupled with the three FDA approvals, this new perspective is revolutionizing cancer research.
Tissue-agnostic therapies and treatments have raised major implications for drug development. At Merck, our research and development professionals are rigorously focusing on therapies aimed at cancer drivers and the cause of mutations behind tumors. In addition to observing the organs being affected by the locations of tumors, researchers are attempting to achieve the deepest understanding of the molecular targets causing tumors and preventing the natural death of cells.
This understanding, coupled with awareness of the biomarkers signaling disease, can improve the ability to identify the specific treatments that patients would respond to optimally and exclude treatments that are not effective. That’s why the view of cancer as a genomic disease - a paradigm shift in and of itself - fits in well with the larger trend toward personalized medicine.
We are proud at Merck to be pushing the envelope in terms of the potential of a tissue-agnostic approach for patients. As a company dedicated to providing solutions to help create, improve and prolong life, we’ve embraced the new perspective on tissue-agnostic cancer therapies and our passionate R&D teams are working hard at discovering and developing potential new solutions for patients.
Leading people through individual and organisational change
5 å¹´Very insightful and proves why it's so important to support cancer research, when you can. New solutions are being found as researchers gain greater understanding of the disease.
Providing leadership in Bioinformatics, Data Science, and Precision Medicine
5 å¹´There are more universal cancer mechanisms that they probably expect, but I am glad to see big pharma finally on the right path:?? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/cancer-hallmarks-pathway-collection-studio-anton-yuryev/
Chemical Research Engineer at Private
5 å¹´In my opinion medical treatment of cancer should base on biological parameters of commonalities and differences of reprogramming cancer cells. The major regulatory mechanisms of improving and balancing of parameters are base on the combination of these two targeted therapies.
Director, Mimex Healthcare (UK) Limited; Former CEO, Director Mimex Montague Healthcare Limited (2014-2021); former Director, QueMaCo Limited (1992-2024); former CEO, Director Montague Diagnostics Limited (2003-2014)
5 年Everything that occurs in the body is the result of changes to how the autonomic nervous system functions. There are no exceptions and there cannot be any exceptions, to such conclusion. Accordingly all medical conditions have a genetic basis and a phenotypic basis. In other words genetic alterations due to genetic inheritance, or exposure to viruses and virus-like particles must influence the genetic expression of proteins but cancers must also be influenced by the phenotype or stress response which influences the rate at which expressed proteins react with their reactive substrates. So cancers can’t have genetic origins - nothing new there then - but they must also have a genetic trigger, the phenotype or stress response - and it is largely upon the phenotype that most drugs work! So I’m not so sure that you can claim that cancer is one of a kind - but I don’t dismiss the claim. If the cancer is due to autonomic dysfunction then it must be influenced by the brain because the brain regulates the autonomic nervous system and visceral organs but the visceral organs can, as pointed out, be influenced by viruses and virus-like particles, therefore the environment influences brain functions and how it regulates.... interesting?
Production and ops Lead at Cardinal Health
5 å¹´Does P53 cell mean something to revealing a cure?