Update on Reducing Mortality in Cancer, Case Study Brain

Cancer has accompanied humankind for 1000s of years. Earliest evidence for cancer related deaths can be found in Egyptian mummies and references to cancer are recorded in the scriptures of Roman and Greek scholars. Cancer derives its name from its crab like appearance as described by Hippocrates leading to the term ‘carcinos’—cancer. With increasing industrialization and improvement of living standards and human age throughout time, cancer mortalities have risen globally; however with advances in our understanding of cancer biology, diagnosis and treatment of certain cancers survival rates have improved and mortality rates reduced. Strikingly, these trends are not found in one of the most aggressive cancer types, Glioblastoma (GBM). Reasons for this are manifold and indicative of the heterogeneity within this tumor type, inadequate early diagnoses, limited treatment options and underfunded research. GBM are highly aggressive tumors found in the brain. Their location and highly infiltrative nature make treatment very difficult and mortality rates amongst sufferers are high caused by the recurrence of tumors within 15 months of initial diagnosis and treatment. In addition to the physical aspects of the disease there is also a psychological burden of sufferers and carers. With the advent of precision and personalized medicines, enhanced disease awareness and improved funding of brain tumour research advances in targeting this devastating disease are achievable.