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In Sub-Saharan Africa, breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women and, due to late diagnosis, is a major cause of mortality. Searching for innovative and effective strategies for early detection of breast cancer applicable to rural African communities is therefore a pressing issue.
A recent report entitled “Excess cancer burden in men” further highlights the stark differences in cancer incidence and mortality rates between sexes, yet the causes of such differences remain largely enigmatic. It is time clinicians, researchers, and funding organizations took notice and necessary action.
Analysis of the radiotherapy facilities in 33 European countries has shown considerable disparity across the continent, with countries in eastern and southeastern Europe being largely underequipped compared with northern and western countries. Timely investment in the radiotherapy infrastructure is required to address the growing burden of cancer care.
There have been great advances in the treatment of patients with breast cancer, with novel targeted agents having a great impact on treatment at all stages of the disease trajectory. In this Review, the treatment options for patients with metastatic disease are discussed—focussing on agents that target breast cancer cells, breast cancer stem cells and the breast microenvironment.
Late-stage distribution and bulky intraperitioneal disease are the hallmarks of ovarian cancer presentation, which is managed primarily by surgical resection and chemotherapy. However, advances in surgical resection objectives, alternative chemotherapy administration schedules, and novel therapeutics based on increasing knowledge of disease biology are making strides to improve outcomes. This Review covers all elements of the definition, treatment, and biology of ovarian cancer.
To improve treatments for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, new biomarkers and surrogate end points for clinical trials are required. Identifying biomarkers that reflect clinical benefit and that guide personalized treatment plans are of the highest priority. This Review article outlines the framework for developing such biomarkers, including analytical validation, clinical validation and regulatory approval, and describes promising emerging biomarkers.
Advances in surgical oncology have improved patient safety and provided less-invasive procedures. In the era of personalized medicine, the value of surgical specimens for understanding tumour biology, extended indication of surgery, the role of surgical oncology in trials that examine neoadjuvant therapy in patients selected by appropriate biomarkers, and the possibilities to personalize the surgical procedure itself according to lung cancer subtypes are discussed.
