Specialists highlight combination therapies as way forward for cancer care

Bengaluru: Precision oncology, immunotherapy advancements and combination therapies are the way forward in cancer treatment, oncology specialists from Manipal Hospitals noted in an event commemorating World Cancer Day on Friday. 

The 'Voices of Victory' event to celebrate the journeys of cancer survivors focused on destigmatising cancer and sharing advancements in cancer treatments via five panel discussions involving oncology specialists. 

Stories from survivors and their families moved many to tears. Equally, they filled them with hope, as an elderly man who battled stage-4 lung cancer that spread to his brain recounted how his family helped him through it all while a patient with chronic leukaemia (blood cancer) shared his story of finding love in another cancer survivor amidst decades-long treatment. 

Specialists discussed the role of targeted therapies, the need for comprehensive care tending to psycho-oncology, and approaches to treatment that ensure no compromise in quality of life. 

Dr Shabber Zaveri, Chairman-HoD and Consultant, Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery, said the emphasis on non-surgical cancer treatments might also make surgical oncology redundant. 

"In 10-15 years from now, cancers will be treated purely based on immunotherapy, targeted therapy and hormone therapies. Probably by then, surgical oncology will become a little redundant because medical oncology is the 'in' thing now," he said. 

Dr Amit Rauthan, HoD and Consultant, Medical Oncology, believes advancements in medical oncology are changing how specialists think about cancer. 

"We are moving towards identifying dominant cancer pathways and combination therapies to block them. This is why precision oncology and combination therapy with immunotherapy is the way forward," said Dr Rauthan. 

He expressed excitement at pharmaceutical companies attempting to make immunotherapy drugs more accessible. "Some companies have quoted an amount of Rs 10 lakh for a whole year of treatment. This is more attainable for families and is especially amazing because we started from that amount for one dose of treatment a few years ago to get a whole year's worth now," he said.