It was not until 1836 that people observed abnormal cancer cells through a microscope for the first time, thus re-recognizing that cancer is composed of cells. Until then, rule this out? Abnormal cells? The concepts of radiotherapy and chemotherapy are gradually put into practice. Cancer can kill cancer cells, but it can also kill normal cells. Indiscriminate attacks are very painful for patients who receive early treatment. Chemotherapy comes later than radiotherapy. After continuous research, it is found that cancer cells grow rapidly, so chemotherapy drugs mainly kill fast-growing cells. Because hair follicle cells grow very fast, many chemotherapy patients will lose their hair.
1953, Watson and Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA, which opened the genetic era of cancer research and led to the invention of targeted drugs. The first oncogene was found in 1970. This gene is activated, and normal cells find themselves dividing out of control and eventually develop into cancer cells. 1984 The first tumor suppressor gene was discovered. Contrary to oncogenes, genes inhibit the growth of tumor cells. As a result, targeted drugs were born, just like Scud bombs with targets, mainly used for first aid. At the initial stage of development, the effect is very good, but due to the frequent use of molecular targeted drugs, drug resistance is an inevitable problem. Target gene mutation, targeted drugs lose their effect. Many cancer patients will develop drug resistance within a few years after receiving targeted drug treatment, and with the emergence of drug resistance, their condition will deteriorate.
The concept of cancer is constantly changing, and the treatment methods of cancer are constantly updated, so people turn their attention to the natural anti-cancer fighters of the human body? Immune cells. Adoptive cell immunotherapy is born by using immune cells to kill cancer cells. Perhaps one day in the future, cancer will no longer be a problem, but at present, surgery is still the main treatment for cancer. Early cancer, early surgery can achieve curative effect. The problem is that early cancer is not easy to find, there are no detailed symptoms, and people in China are very tolerant, which leads many patients to go to the hospital, which is already in the middle and late stages and even impossible to operate. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have many side effects, which is the most effective way to kill cancer cells at present. With the development of medical technology, the dose and position accuracy of radiotherapy are greatly improved, and the side effects of chemotherapy are also greatly reduced. Targeted therapy works well in the first few years, but after a long time, it begins to develop drug resistance.