Science may not have a cure for cancer yet, but the likelihood of one being discovered may be just around the corner. Our 12-page health guide unveils the latest scientific research, plus easy tips and advice to get you stronger and happier.
Groundbreaking medical innovations this year will change our lives – and hopefully even save them. Some anticipated breakthroughs seem to take us beyond the realm of science and into science fiction territory (think 3D-printed pills or gene editing), while others have less of a “wow” factor, but will still offer much-needed relief.
Compiling a definitive list of future medical game-changers is tricky. So, The Weekly spoke to scientists, policy makers and pharmaceutical industry insiders to bring you some of the breakthroughs just over the horizon, that may have a profound impact on your health in the year ahead.
Immunotherapy for cancer
This cancer treatment uses the body’s own immune system to help fight the disease. Yet scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research predict this revolutionary treatment will be the medical story of 2017. Initially, immunotherapy was used to tackle melanoma, then a type of lung cancer. Now, it is being used (or tested in clinical trials) to treat a broad range of malignancies, such as bowel, pancreatic and bladder cancers. Scientists hope that immunotherapies may one day prove to be a “cure-all” for cancer; in much the same way that penicillin is the panacea for infections.
This year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to approve the drug for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, triggering a wave of approvals for the treatment of other blood cancers and lymphomas. Scientists have long viewed immunotherapy as the holy grail of cancer treatments, but it’s proved incredibly difficult to make it work. Now, many oncologists believe we may have cracked it. While still used in conjunction with chemotherapy, it’ll hopefully supplant chemo, along with its horrific side effects.
Tailor-made medicine
This story is from the September 2017 edition of The Singapore Women's Weekly.
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This story is from the September 2017 edition of The Singapore Women's Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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