Q. Is there any possible cure for cancer (other than chemotherapy) so far?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Yes, there are many potential alternative treatments for cancer that are currently being researched or used in practice. The effectiveness of these therapies varies from person to person, and some may be more effective than others depending on the type of cancer.
One option is immunotherapy, which uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. This includes targeted therapies such as CAR-T cell therapy, as well as more traditional forms like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Immunotherapies work by triggering an immune response that helps target and eliminate cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact.
Another form of treatment is photodynamic therapy (PDT). It involves using light-sensitive drugs called photosensitizers in combination with light exposure to destroy tumors without harming surrounding tissue. Many studies have shown PDT can be effective against a range of cancers including breast, bladder, lung and prostate/rectal cancers among others.
Gene Therapy is an experimental technique that inserts genetic material into patients’ bodies to treat or prevent diseases such as cancer. Using this method doctors can replace defective genes with functional ones using modified viruses or other delivery vehicles to move them into place inside cells or change expression levels for existing genes without changing their code sequence itself . Gene therapy has had varying success rates but continues to be researched by scientists hoping it will lead to new treatments for certain types of diseases including certain types of cancers .
Hormone Therapy also known as endocrine therapy may help slow down tumor growth by blocking certain hormones from binding at receptor sites within the tumor cell helping reduce its proliferation rate leading potentially reducing its size . Hormones can also cause hormone sensitive tumor cells death when exposed in high doses thus providing a possible cure depending on how severe it is .
Lastly Cryoablation , uses freezing temperatures (cryosurgery) specifically injected directly onto tumors via needles where they create ice crystals killing off any malignant tissue nearby while limiting collateral damage due to having precise placements spots targeting only specific areas making it simpler for surgeries afterwards if needed . Research has shown cryoablation can be very successful in treating early stage kidney , bone , liver , and pancreatic cancers along with other clinical trials showing promising results against various solid tumors too .