Can Cancer Treatment Stop Working?
It may happen, as cancer is an evolving condition.
Cancer cells undergo several genetic and biological changes.
They keep on changing and adapting to the treatment conditions.
These changes may help the cells develop resistance to treatment.
What is cancer drug resistance?
It is a condition in which cancer cells do not completely respond to the medicine.
It is reduced sensitivity to the drug.
It is of two types:
Intrinsic resistance: It is the innate resistance.
The cancer cells may be less sensitive to certain drugs.
They naturally have specific mutations that may make them less sensitive to the drug.
Acquired resistance:
The cancer cells may change or develop certain mutations during the therapy.
This helps them adapt and survive the treatment.
Why may the treatment stop working?
Tumor heterogeneity-
A tumor may not consist of a single type of cell.
The different cell types may have different genetic alterations.
Some of the cells may be naturally resistant to the treatment.
The sensitive cells may get cleared, leaving the drug-resistant cells.
The surviving cells may develop and regrow.
Genetic mutations-
The anticancer drugs work by interacting with specific proteins of the cancer cells.
The genetic mutations may cause structural changes.
It may prevent the binding of drugs to the proteins.
Drug efflux:
Certain cancer cells develop microscopic pumps on their surface.
They help eject the drug.
The drug is ejected out before it can effectively work.
Bypassing the blockade:
Certain drugs block the cellular pathways.
The cancer cells develop alternative pathways to grow.
This allows them to grow and proliferate.
Changes in microenvironment-
Certain cancer cells cause changes in the surrounding cells.
The surrounding environment may prevent entry of drug molecules into the cell.
They may also release certain chemicals that may help cancer cells to survive.
Conclusion-
Cancer treatment is not the same for everyone.
Different cancers have different treatments.
The treatment plan may need to change from time to time.
Cases of drug resistance may require using advanced treatment drugs or using combination therapies.
At Aprazer Healthcare, we focus on developing advanced drugs for cancer treatments.
As a specialty drug manufacturer, we specialize in manufacturing anticancer medicines.
Our oncology portfolio comprises:
- Chemotherapy medicines
- Targeted therapy anticancer medicines
- Hormonal therapy anticancer medicines
We are a globally recognized pharmaceutical company, supplying anticancer drugs worldwide.