Smoking leads to mutations in our DNA. In other words, it means that the DNA gets damaged, due to tobacco smoking. This damaged or mutated DNA, in turn, gives rise to abnormal protein in our lung cells. Proteins that are changed or abnormal, stop functioning normally. This makes the cell become defective (cancerous) and grows and divides uncontrollably to form cancer. The mutated proteins are broken down into small pieces and presented on the surface of cancer cells. These abnormal peptides are recognised as foreign and activate the T cells to kill the cancer cells.
The question is if the immune system can recognise and kill the cancer cells, why do people develop cancer?
Sometimes, the immune system fails to do its job. The immune response against cancer may not be strong enough or cancer cells may evade the immune responses. Cancer develops ways to escape immune- recognition. When this happens, the immune system is unable to mount an attack on cancer cells, in turn giving rise to more cancer cells growing bigger and stronger. With this weakened immune system, cancer gets a chance to grow and metastasise, what is called stage 4 cancer. The cancer spreads to other parts of the body making it difficult to treat.
What’s the best way to treat cancer?
Cancer is best treated by a multi-modal approach. A multi-modal approach is a comprehensive approach that includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy as well as immunotherapy. It also includes alternative and complementary systems of medicine. Cancer is a difficult-to-treat disease, hence a comprehensive approach is the best way to treat it. Cancer and its treatment both bring a lot of suffering to the patient. It is not enough to treat a patient with conventional methods alone, without treating the pain, fatigue, the depression that comes with it. A cancer patient needs a complete treatment plan to get rid of cancer and the associated problems.
Can Immunotherapy bring a cure to cancer?
Several studies are showing that Immunotherapy has the power to “cure” cancer, a word used with caution by Oncologists. The immune system once activated against cancer, not only kills cancer but also memorises the event of killing. Thus when cancer arises again, the immune system mounts an attack against it, in the same way, it did the first time, killing the recurrent cancer cells and bringing about a cure in cancer. Unless we give the immune system a chance to eradicate cancer, we can not be sure of complete recovery or cure.
Smoking leads to mutations in our DNA. In other words, it means that the DNA gets damaged, due to tobacco smoking. This damaged or mutated DNA, in turn, gives rise to abnormal protein in our lung cells. Proteins that are changed or abnormal, stop functioning normally. This makes the cell become defective (cancerous) and grows and divides uncontrollably to form cancer. The mutated proteins are broken down into small pieces and presented on the surface of cancer cells. These abnormal peptides are recognised as foreign and activate the T cells to kill the cancer cells.
The question is if the immune system can recognise and kill the cancer cells, why do people develop cancer?
Sometimes, the immune system fails to do its job. The immune response against cancer may not be strong enough or cancer cells may evade the immune responses. Cancer develops ways to escape immune- recognition. When this happens, the immune system is unable to mount an attack on cancer cells, in turn giving rise to more cancer cells growing bigger and stronger. With this weakened immune system, cancer gets a chance to grow and metastasise, what is called stage 4 cancer. The cancer spreads to other parts of the body making it difficult to treat.
What’s the best way to treat cancer?
Cancer is best treated by a multi-modal approach. A multi-modal approach is a comprehensive approach that includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy as well as immunotherapy. It also includes alternative and complementary systems of medicine. Cancer is a difficult-to-treat disease, hence a comprehensive approach is the best way to treat it. Cancer and its treatment both bring a lot of suffering to the patient. It is not enough to treat a patient with conventional methods alone, without treating the pain, fatigue, the depression that comes with it. A cancer patient needs a complete treatment plan to get rid of cancer and the associated problems.
Can Immunotherapy bring a cure to cancer?
Several studies are showing that Immunotherapy has the power to “cure” cancer, a word used with caution by Oncologists. The immune system once activated against cancer, not only kills cancer but also memorises the event of killing. Thus when cancer arises again, the immune system mounts an attack against it, in the same way, it did the first time, killing the recurrent cancer cells and bringing about a cure in cancer. Unless we give the immune system a chance to eradicate cancer, we can not be sure of complete recovery or cure.
