Cancer is the most widespread and life-threatening disease that accounts for about 7.4 million deaths per year worldwide. Despite numerous advances in cancer therapy, there is still a lack of novel therapeutic agents that target the cancer cells. 

 

In the process of drug development, the cancer therapy is undergoing a radical transformation from the unpredictable discoveries to the purposeful targeting of each cancer cell. Here we review the novel therapies and innovative strategies that can lead to better results in the process of cancer management. 

 

1. Life-Saving Drug for Patients with Late Stage Cancer 

 

Pamica (PICNH2Ca2- a combination of dsRNA, polyI:C, non-biotics amino compounds and calcium chloride), an analogue of PICKCa has been proved to extend the survival of terminal stage cancer patients. The drug PICKCa is found to be useful for rabies vaccine (Phase 2 trial) and hepatitis B vaccine (Phase 1 trial). A study revealed that administration of Pamica via injection or nasal spray increased the survival of patients with terminal stage lung cancer.

 

Pamica acts by activating the intrinsic pathways to produce cytokines, enhance the functioning of macrophage, stimulate antigen-presenting cells, and activate cell-mediated and humoral immunity. Thus, the drug boosts the immune system of the patients with terminal stage cancer and hence improves the quality of life.

 

2. Novel Biomedical Technique for Breast Cancer Treatment 

 

In today’s world, the need for advanced technology is clearly evident via the statistics that indicates high prevalence and incidence of cancer. However, several novel treatment modalities have been introduced to combat with this global killer. This success can be greatly enhanced by implementing the nanotechnology in treating cancer. The application of this nanotechnology to various chemotherapeutic drugs could open the door to many novel therapies. 

 

An injectable nanoparticle generator (iNPG) that delivers doxorubicin to the cancer cells has been developed to enhance the pharmacokinetics and the efficacy of the drug. The research involves the conjugation of doxorubicin and loading it into the iNPG to form a compound (iNPG-pDox). The study revealed the functional cure in mouse models of metastatic breast cancer. 

 

3. A Combo Drug Regimen Boosts the Survival of Cancer Patients

 

The experts say that combination of gemcitabine and capecitabine is more effective than gemcitabine alone in treating the patients with resected pancreatic cancer. In the study, gemcitabine was administered as an intravenous infusion once weekly for three of every four weeks for six cycles and, capecitabine was administered orally for 21 days followed by one week rest for six cycles. The adjuvant gemcitabine plus capecitabine is considered to be the new standard of care in patients with resected pancreatic cancer.

 

4. Power of Natural extracts in treating cancer

 

Use of plant-derived products in treating medical conditions is an age-old phenomenon that has been proven to be effective. In an exciting discovery, experts uncovered that the natural extract called thymoquinone significantly reduces the cancer cell growth in patients with colorectal cancer. The extract induces the apoptosis in the cancer cell and also interferes with its growth. In case the combination of phytochemical with chemotherapeutic agents is useful in treating cancer, then the patients would have access to the novel therapy which has fewer risks.

 

5. Pembrolizumab- A Wonder Drug for Cancer Cure

 

Pembrolizumab, a breakthrough in the lung cancer treatment, gives patients with terminal lung cancer a second chance to live life. It is known to destroy the cancer cells by targeting a cunning protein (PD-L1) found on it. The drug mobilises the immune system to fight against cancer and proves to perform much better than the traditional chemotherapy. Although the drug has given some hope, more follow-up on the survival to evaluate its efficacy is required. 

    
6. A Toxin as Adjunctive Therapy for Treating Cancer

 

A recent study has shed light on the fact that immunotherapy is one of the effective treatment modality to extend the survival of the patients with colon cancer. A mast cell targeted chimeric toxin is found to be beneficial as adjunctive therapy in colon cancer treatment. In patients with colon cancer, mast cells are known to serve a favourable function by cancer cell invasion in the development of colon cancer. The mast cell chimeric toxin helps control the progression of colon cancer without causing mast cell degranulation.  

 

7. New Strategy for Using Chemo Drug in Cancer Naïve Patients

 

For decades, chemotherapy has been the standard treatment modality in the management of cancer. A study demonstrated that incorporation of imatinib to the ongoing chemotherapy reduced the disease progression and enhanced survival in the patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Also, the experts say that the drug is effective in preventing the early relapse. 

 

8. Immunotherapy Extends Glioma Survival

 

The treatment advances for the patients with glioma, an aggressive brain tumour, are very rare. But with recent studies, the researchers hope that immunotherapy may show improved outcomes in patients with this aggressive disease. The immune checkpoint blockade in the patients with glioma may offer an appealing promise for immunotherapy. The use of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies as one of the immunotherapeutic approaches has been proven to be useful for treating glioma. 

 

9. Novel Approach Replaces Current Breast-Conserving Therapy

 

Recent studies focus on transformation towards less invasive and more patient-friendly treatment modalities for breast cancer. Radiotherapy is one of the most effective therapies for treating different types of cancers. It is used typically as a curative treatment, either alone or in combination with other therapeutic strategies. The MRI-guided single dose ablative radiotherapy proved to be an effective non-invasive alternative for the current breast-conserving treatment.  

 

10. Promising Treatment for Renal Cell Carcinoma

 

Chemotherapy is considered to be the standard-of-care treatment for the patients with cancer. As a part of several ongoing trials for novel treatment strategies of cancer, researchers found that cabozantinib (a chemo drug) increases the survival and delays the disease progression in the patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Therefore, the effectiveness of the drug can be further determined if it is used as the standard treatment for renal cell carcinoma in the clinical practice. 

 

Discovering the drugs for cancer cure is a continual process as the tumour cell undergoes various mutations. Several new cancer drugs are being approved for use in clinical practice aiming to improve the patient’s quality of life. These exciting new research attempts are to change the way of approaching, characterising, and treating the various types of cancers.