Advances in treatment for a broad array of cancers have fueled improved outcomes and brighter futures for many of today’s cancer patients. An increased emphasis on research continues to offer the promise of new and advanced therapies on the horizon.
The latest innovations are fueling optimism and excitement among Endeavor Health oncologists, who share some of the advances bringing benefits to patients today.
Targeted therapies
“In the last 10 years we’ve seen three big therapeutic advances with molecular targeted therapies, immunotherapy and cellular therapies,” said Endeavor Health medical oncologist Syed Huq, MD.
“Traditionally there was one-size-fits all approach with chemotherapy aimed at killing rapidly dividing cancer cells that also often led to lots of unwanted side effects.”
Targeted therapies are aimed at specific molecular “driver” mutations that lead to cancer. Oral medications attack the mutation to control the cancer while, at times, preventing many of the harsh side effects of traditional chemotherapy, explained Dr. Huq.
“For example, there are now at least 10 different mutations identified for lung cancer that we are able to target and increase cure for patients with early-stage cancers and offer improved survival for patients with more advanced cancer as well,” he added.
“These advances are what makes oncology fun and rewarding,” said Dr. Huq. “The nature of the field is that we sometimes have to break bad news to patients, but these new discoveries open up doors for patients and us that were not available five to ten years ago.”
“It used to be that the FDA was approving one new cancer drug a year and now we routinely see two to three new drugs approved each month,” said Dr. Huq.
Cellular immunotherapy
TIL — tumor infiltrating lymphocytes — the first approved cellular immunotherapy for solid tumors is currently available at limited academic medical sites including University of Chicago Medicine, where Endeavor Health oncologist Bruce Brockstein, MD, recently had two advanced melanoma patients treated.
“Our patients had early access to this innovative therapy through our relationship with University of Chicago,” said Dr. Brockstein.
Both patients had great responses to the new medication after years of other treatments, including standard immunotherapy, were not able to eradicate their cancer. In one case, Dr. Brockstein has been treating a now 50-year-old woman for 15 years.
“We often tell patients that new treatments are in the pipeline; that something better will come along and in her case that’s exactly what happened. The drug got approved, she got in for treatment in the nick of time and she is probably cured now,” said Dr. Brockstein. “This was a great collaboration and it’s why we never give up.”
The TIL treatment is a complicated process, and patients are admitted to the hospital where they undergo chemotherapy first and then have an infusion with the new “medication” (cell product) before recovering in the hospital for a couple of weeks.
“This is an exciting new era and is the culmination of 40-50 years of work by the NIH (National Institutes of Health), and others,” said Dr. Brockstein. Endeavor Health is in the process of applying to be one of the next medical centers to offer the ground-breaking treatment.
Surgically-targeted radiation therapy
Surgically-targeted radiation therapy Gamma tiles are an innovative new technology providing a very good treatment option for patients with recurrent and high grade brain tumors, said Endeavor Health radiation oncologist Stephen Nigh, MD.
The absorbable, collagen-based tiles embedded with radiation seeds are placed by neurosurgeons along the area where tumors were resected. The treatments are personalized to each patient and involve collaborative teams of neurological cancer specialists.
“We’re seeing referrals from all over the country,” said Dr. Nigh. “This treatment is really extending survival and saving patients from neurological decline, offering the best outcomes available for a growing patient population with recurrent brain tumors.”
Trials are underway to see if the treatment may be used in earlier stage patients.
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