Why is it so Difficult to Cure Cancer?

Cancer is the behemoth of a challenge scientists all over the world are faced with in present times. Every year more than 1.4 million new cases are reported in USA alone. The figures are only going to increase owing to the increased sensitivity of diagnostic techniques and the increasing average age(increased percentage of old people and high age is the greatest risk factor for cancer) of the population. The cure for many cancers has been developed including Leukemias (blood cancers) and lymphomas. But for most other a cure is still far from reality.

The various reasons are:

1)The cause of most cancers is still not known: Scientists have unraveled increasingly complex genetic pathways responsible for cancers. The plethora of data lacks a unifying insight and this precludes any focused therapy. Although success stories with cancers like Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (drug Imatinib) have been encouraging, most of the cancers still are stubbornly unyielding.

2) Chemotherapy limitations: Present therapies are toxic to normal cells as well the cancerous cells. So when they are administered they have a myriad of side-effects which sometimes are too severe enough to even cause death. They also lead to various unpleasant side effects and thus reduced acceptability and need to be discontinued on many occasions. The development of tumor resistance (like antibiotic resistance) to these drugs is another roadblock because it renders the drug ineffective against the tumors they were initially effective.

3) Environmental factors and the flimsy association: Although various environmental factors like viruses(e.g. Epstein barr Virus), bacteria (Helicobactor pylori), asbestos(name of a group of minerals) and smoking have been identified, the long latency(wait) period after the exposure to one of them and the development of cancer (for e.g, it takes 10-20 years after asbestos exposure to develop lung cancer), threatens the pace of an investigation and delays results. The widespread occurrence (unavoidable) and nonspecific (blurred) nature of the agents has been another problem. Unless an agent is identified and strong link with the cancer is shown in a convincing (both conditions have to be satisfied), prevention through environmental modification would only be a distant dream.

4) Radiation therapy is toxic to surrounding (normal) areas and it can even give rise to secondary cancers themselves, for e.g, breast cancer can develop in a previously irradiated Lymphoma patient.

5) Myriad other culprit factors like die t( low fiber content), hormones(Estrogen), immune factors, alcohol, obesity, vitamins, and lipids, need detailed elucidation before theory can be put to practice.

6)Occult symptoms: The symptoms of cancer are so non-specific(no typical symptoms and can present in any way e.g., just weakness or even without any symptom) that they are often neglected and patients seek help only when its spread beyond the available treatment options.

Intensifying efforts to take down the disease, which has been inexorably out of control, will hopefully bring hope to millions in agony. Not everything is bad news though and the mortality (deaths due to cancer)is decreasing at an average of 1% every year as per Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data of National Cancer Institute, 2004.....Lets join hands and pray collectively for those millions of people who are suffering under the deadly curse of Cancer.