Novel Treatments of Cancer

Abstract

Cancer treatments have evolved over the years and have given hope to cancer patients by extending and improving their quality of life. The field is moving towards more personalized treatments with less toxicity. One of the areas that has been rapidly expanding in the recent years involves next-generation immunotherapies, including CAR-T cell therapies, TCR-T therapies, and bispecific antibodies. In the area of immunology, personalized neoantigen vaccines have also been developed and used for cancer treatment. Other therapies involve tumor microenvironment (TME) modulators, such as myeloid therapies and microbiome-based therapies. Gene editing of both immune and cancer cells has also been utilized for cancer treatment. Another type of cancer treatment involves targeted protein degradation, which has aided in designing therapeutic strategies against undruggable targets. RNA-based therapies, including siRNA, antisense oligonucleotides, and RNA-binding small molecules are also used for cancer treatment. Researchers have also taken advantage of synthetic biology approaches. Oncolytic viruses engineered to selectively infect and destroy cancer cells have been tested in several cancer types. Targeted radionuclide therapy, known as radiopharmaceuticals, is another type of cancer treatment and involves delivering radioactive isotopes directly to cancer cells. With increasing understanding of tumor metabolism changes and their importance for cancer survival, new therapies are being developed that target tumor metabolism.