In the article "Genetics May Help Guide Kid's Cancer Treatment" on the U.S. News, the author finds that researchers and doctors claim that genetics may help guide and instruct the treatment course of children with cancer. It is stated in the article that a study on genetic sequencing has revealed potential findings on half of the children with aggressive cancer. These potential findings are critical because they are the answers to why their treatments are not working on them, and some of them may go through a new diagnosis because genetic mutations that cause their cancer to progress have been detected. As a result, 10% of these children have undergone new treatment, targeted therapy, and are introduced with new drugs. Some of them have temporarily fought the cancer and some of them have had a complete remission.
Treatments that are based on genetics findings are personalized because each patient has mutations that are different from another patient that have the same cancer. Researchers and scientists will do their best to find new treatments that hopefully may 100% cure cancers. Targeted cancer therapy and immunotherapy are examples of the newly developed treatments. In the article, it mentions that cancer cure rate has increased overtime. In 1960s, the cure rate of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia was less than 10%. Today, the cure rate has increased to 90%.
The article covered concerns that parents may have. The time, the result and the cost of undergoing these clinical trials are always the patient's family's main concerns. The author mentions that in the study, 91 pediatric cancer patients in Mott Children's Hospital are undergoing newly designed treatments. The study reports that around 46% of the children who have taken genetic tests have available treatments that target their mutations. However, the study hasn't reported the reasons why the rest couldn't receive treatments. Is it because targeted drugs are hard to develop or is it because the children's bodies are resistant to the drugs? The study mentions the cost of this clinical trail, and it is around $6,000 and it takes 50 days for each patient. The result of this study is, some of the children have partial remission and some have complete remission. The author also brings up an important point. Can children undergo targeted cancer therapy? Are these drugs, big pills, suitable for children? Is it safe for younger children to undergo these clinical trails? The study that is mentioned in this article unfortunately hasn't mentioned any of these concerns.
Article Source:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015/09/01/genetics-may-help-guide-kids-cancer-treatment
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Wow very interesting Ghofran! It is very interesting how they are working so hard toward developing treatments for this type of cancer and how the cure rates have increased so drastically over the recent years. Hopefully they will continue to work this hard and eventually be able to cure this disease overall, although with everyone having different mutations and such it will be very difficult. The questions raised by the article are also very good questions and they definitely should be answered if they are to work toward these treatments being helpful.
ReplyDeleteI think this chapter is very interesting. The advancement of technology and science is making hopes for cancer victims. It is very promising that we could once cure those type of diseases. It is very thoughtful of the author to address some of the family concerns.
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated to learn more about gene sequencing and it's possible applications in treating people with cancer. I also thought that the questions you raise are good ones and I can't wait to see where such research will lead.
ReplyDeletethats good to know
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