Colon cancer: prevention, healing, therapy - current developments and good news

Colon cancer: prevention, healing, therapy - current developments and good news

colon cancer has lost a lot of its original horror. This starts with prevention: With a colonoscopy, you can not only recognize the disease early, but even prevent it. If colon cancer is discovered early, the chances of recovery are very good. And even with a further advanced stage, a healing is possible thanks to new therapeutic approaches. "The pharmaceutical industry has developed new drugs that specifically act against tumor cells or who encourage a patient's immune system in such a way that it can combat the tumor itself," explains BPI innovation expert Dr. Pablo Serrano. Studies have proven high benefits for patients. Good news at the end of the intestinal cancer month of March!

colon cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women and men. Every year 24,000 women fall ill for the first time, in the male gender there are even 30,000.

Most tumors are created in the large intestine or rectum, i.e. in the last two sections of the digestive system -very rarely in the small intestine. The risk increases with age. Therefore, from the age of 50 and from the age of 55 for women, intestinal mirroring is an important precaution: "If the doctor discovers polyps, you can remove them directly and thus prevent a cancer development," says Serrano. "Very early cancer stadiums can be treated immediately."

The operation (op) is an important pillar in the therapy of colon cancer. The tumor tissue can often be completely removed. In the case of cancer in the rectum, the sphincter is usually preserved, so that no artificial intestinal exit is necessary. It is often possible to operate with minimally invasive surgery -also called keyhole surgery -without a large abdominal incision. In many patients with colon cancer, chemotherapy or radiation complement the operation - usually after the operation to prevent relapse, but sometimes even before the operation to reduce the tumor or tumors.

In recent years, more and more new therapy options have emerged with advanced colon cancer. "In the meantime, scientists have been able to find out how the tumor cells are able to grow, multiply and trick the immune system," reports the BPI expert. For example, there are structures on the surface of the cells that convey growth signals on the cells. "Pharmaceutical companies therefore develop drugs that can now block these signals in a very targeted manner and thus slow down the growth of the tumor cells," explains Serrano.

In addition, tumor cells form growth factors that encourage new blood vessels. "Certain drugs inhibit this process so that the tumor cells really starve," explains Serrano. "And there are also overactive signaling paths within a tumor cell that ensure growth and multiplication. These processes can in turn interrupt other new drugs in a targeted manner," adds Serrano.

In patients with advanced colon cancer, which may already have scattered in lungs or liver, these so -called targeted therapies can control the disease. The medicines are usually administered in addition to chemotherapy.

In addition, immunotherapies are used with advanced colon cancer: “By infusion with so-called checkpoint inhibitors, the patient's immune system should be stimulated in such a way that it can combat the tumor cells on their own. So-called immune checkpoints are checkpoints that dampen their own immune defense. The treacherous tumor cells activate these checkpoint by Form certain egg whites so that the immune system is driven off.

At the approximately 300 colon cancer centers in Germany, which are certified by the German Cancer Society, the tumor cells are then carefully examined and a therapy tailored to the patient and the respective tumor are initiated. Thanks to pharmaceutical research and the wide range of therapeutic options - from targeted medicines to immunotherapy - the quality of life of the mostly ill people can improve. Complaints go back and even healing is not excluded.

In Berlin there are also several colon cancer centers that specialize in the treatment of this type of cancer. Here those affected can be comprehensively advised and treated.

The following table shows the number of new cases per year in Berlin for colon cancer:

| Year | Number of new cases |
| —— | ———————– |
| 2020 | 1300 |
| 2019 | 1200 |
| 2018 | 1150 |
| 2017 | 1100 |
| 2016 | 1050 |

As the table shows, the number of new cases has increased slightly in recent years. This can be due to improved early detection and more awareness of the disease.

Overall, the development in the treatment of colon cancer is extremely positive. Thanks to new therapy approaches and medication, patients have better chances of healing and a higher quality of life. It is important that people can be examined regularly for colon cancer and see a doctor immediately in the event of symptoms.

Source: bpi Federal Association of the pharmaceutical industry/ots