Thanks for this article. I was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer last year. With the caveat that you’ve obviously spent more time than me on understanding the general conditions of cancers and that I’m in Europe, I’d still like to give my impressions. I think way too much money is spent on cancer drug research compared to fundamental research understanding the human body. Doctors and patients are way too eager to spend a lot of money for small amounts of improvement in overall survival. I think you are too optimistic about immunotherapy. I was offered to participate in a trial and looked into it and for PCa the record is abysmal. The side effects are also significant. I decided to decline the trial (which did feel a bit selfish.)
Bear in mind a lot of studies are for me-too drugs i.e. slight variants of existing drugs that have the tremendous advantage of being patentable, even if they are no better. Such trials provide little benefit to humanity.
As a fellow member of the reluctant brotherhood I have seen many friends enter trials only to suffer greatly with no, or even a negative, effect on survival. (Sometimes, I suspect, people will have treatment because it allows them to avoid facing The Horrible Truth*).
When it comes to talking about the prospect of immunotherapy what’s possible with today’s technology and what’s possible with better technology are not the same. The approaches we have today with NK cells are relatively unsophisticated compared to what’s possible.
Thanks for this article. I was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer last year. With the caveat that you’ve obviously spent more time than me on understanding the general conditions of cancers and that I’m in Europe, I’d still like to give my impressions. I think way too much money is spent on cancer drug research compared to fundamental research understanding the human body. Doctors and patients are way too eager to spend a lot of money for small amounts of improvement in overall survival. I think you are too optimistic about immunotherapy. I was offered to participate in a trial and looked into it and for PCa the record is abysmal. The side effects are also significant. I decided to decline the trial (which did feel a bit selfish.)
Bear in mind a lot of studies are for me-too drugs i.e. slight variants of existing drugs that have the tremendous advantage of being patentable, even if they are no better. Such trials provide little benefit to humanity.
As a fellow member of the reluctant brotherhood I have seen many friends enter trials only to suffer greatly with no, or even a negative, effect on survival. (Sometimes, I suspect, people will have treatment because it allows them to avoid facing The Horrible Truth*).
*That they are indeed mortal.
When it comes to talking about the prospect of immunotherapy what’s possible with today’s technology and what’s possible with better technology are not the same. The approaches we have today with NK cells are relatively unsophisticated compared to what’s possible.