I just attended one of the biggest cancer meetings in the world. #ASH22 @ASH_hematology
For my followers here is a snapshot of the incredible progress happening with cancer treatment. It’s good. Thread.
For my followers here is a snapshot of the incredible progress happening with cancer treatment. It’s good. Thread.
1/ There is a revolution in cancer therapy that uses the power of our own immune system to fight cancer cells:
CAR-T cells
Bispecific antibodies
Both these approaches have already produced spectacular results in many cancers and we are just starting.
CAR-T cells
Bispecific antibodies
Both these approaches have already produced spectacular results in many cancers and we are just starting.
2/ CAR-T cells: take your own immune system cells out, engineer them to target a specific cancer, and then put them back in the body to go kill the cancer cells. A few CAR-T products have already been FDA approved. Many more to come. my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatme… 
3/ Bispecific antibodies attach to immune system cells with one arm & cancer cells with the other, thereby bringing powerful immune system killer cells right next to the cancer cells. A few bispecific antibodies have been FDA approved. Many more to come. mdpi.com/1999-4923/14/6…
4/ There is a dramatic increase in understanding the mechanism of cancer due to massive increase in ability to sequence the tumor genes/proteins.
We are learning rapidly why cancer occurs, how it evolves, —- and importantly revealing new targets that we can go after with drugs.
We are learning rapidly why cancer occurs, how it evolves, —- and importantly revealing new targets that we can go after with drugs.
5/ Multiple new small molecule targeted drugs are now available or are being developed as a result.
6/ Using molecular tools, we are able to classify cancers more accurately, diagnose better and faster. We are also able to assess the extent to which treatments have eradicated the tumor in a much better way: like be able to detect 1 cancer cell among a million normal cells. #MRD
7/ The possibility of using mRNA vaccine technology to fight cancer just got a boost. The idea of cancer vaccines has been around for a long time. But mRNA vaccine technology and personalization of the vaccine that it allows provides a lot of optimism reuters.com/business/healt…
8/ On a more general note, technology has connected investigators worldwide like never before making it much easier to collaborate. There is also a great willingness to collaborate across universities and countries.
9/ Video consults for patients and remote monitoring of treatment relate side effects were accelerated as a result of COVID. This means now that patients can consult experts more easily, and can receive more of their cancer care at home than in a hospital.
10/ I am also totally impressed by the talent of the next generation of investigators. These are some brilliant people who are driven to find ways of improving outcomes in cancer.
11/ Clearly many challenges lie ahead: The cost of these new drugs, the strain on the healthcare system that the complexities of administering new immunotherapy treatments brings, the cost and time it takes to do the necessary clinical trials, etc.
12/ But all in all progress against cancer is accelerating fast. Some cancers may be cured as a result and in many cancers we will be able to control cancer and extend survival significantly longer due to these advances.
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