Advanced cancer survival rates could double in next 10 years, say scientists

The survival chances of people with advanced cancer could double within a decade because of the new treatments, according to predictions by scientists.

According to a new paper by the Institute for Cancer Research, the advances made in the field of oncology will increase the life expectancy of cancer patients.

The researchers are learning more about the body's "cancer ecosystem" which allows cancers to thrive. The institute has claimed that it is "confident that doubling the survival rate of people with advanced cancer within a decade is a realistic goal."

ICR and Royal Marsden scientists believe that the breakthroughs made over the years could help in destroying cancer cells, and boosting the body's power to fight the disease.

"We recognise the fact that a lump of cancer in a patient is far more than simply a ball of cancer cells," said Kevin Harrington, professor at the ICR and a consultant at the Royal Marsden.

"It is a complex ecosystem and there are elements within that ecosystem that lend themselves to more advanced forms of targeting that will present for us a huge number of opportunities to cure more patients and to do so with fewer side-effects," he added.

Dr. Olivia Rossanese, director of drug discovery at the ICR, stated that several personalised treatments have already been helping people live longer lives, but some forms of cancer are still difficult to treat.

She said: "We plan to open up completely new lines of attack against cancer, so we can overcome cancer's deadly ability to evolve and become resistant to treatment."

"We're finding powerful new ways to eradicate cancer proteins completely and discovering smarter combination treatments that attack cancer on multiple fronts," she added.

"Together, this three-pronged approach can create smarter, kinder cancer treatments, and offer patients longer life with fewer side-effects."

The ICR has launched a 5-year plan which includes the use artificial intelligence (AI) to come up with new ways to treat cancer. According to a report in The Telegraph, around 167,000 people die of cancer every year in the UK.