3 Promising Advances in Cancer Treatments That Extend Life

Amidst ongoing technological and pharmaceutical innovations, it is notable that the global scientific congress on cancer highlighted well-known drugs recently released in recent years.

The main focus of the event underscores the crucial challenge for specialists: how to organize the most effective "therapeutic trajectory" for each patient and decide the right time to use each resource, from surgeries to medications.

At the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, tens of thousands of doctors gathered to explore new treatment proposals.

The presented research proposed varied approaches for esophageal cancer and melanoma, in addition to offering solutions to some unmet needs in lung cancer.

According to doctors interviewed by BBC News Brazil, these updates will change cancer treatments.

Below are summaries of four key updates on cancer treatments discussed at ASCO 2024:

Lung Cancer: Increased Survival

For patients with stage 3 lung cancer, the combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy has been shown to prolong survival. However, those with mutations in the EGFR gene have shown variable results with immunotherapy. A study presented at ASCO 2024 on the drug osimertinib showed a significant improvement in progression-free survival for these patients. The efficacy of palliative care teleconsultations was also investigated, showing they were as effective as, and sometimes superior to, in-person consultations.

Esophageal Cancer: The Sequence of Therapies is Crucial

A comparative study between neoadjuvant treatments (chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery) and perioperative treatments (before and after surgery) showed that the perioperative approach offers better survival, becoming the preferred option for locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Melanoma: Benefits of Pre-Surgery Immunotherapy

Research showed that administering immunotherapy before surgery in patients with stage 3 melanoma improved event-free survival compared to standard treatment. Although side effects were more common, the initial treatment allowed for a reduction in overall treatment time and cost.

Source: BBC.