Cancer therapies refer to a variety of treatments designed to combat cancer, which is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. The main types of cancer therapies include:
1. **Surgery**: Involves the physical removal of cancerous tissue from the body.
2. **Radiation Therapy**: Utilizes high-energy radiation to target and kill cancer cells or shrink tumors.
3. **Chemotherapy**: Employs drugs to destroy cancer cells or inhibit their growth, affecting the overall cellular replication process.
4. **Immunotherapy**: Enhances or manipulates the body’s immune system to better recognize and combat cancer cells.
5. **Targeted Therapy**: Focuses on specific molecular targets associated with cancer, aiming to interfere with the growth and spread of the cancer cells while minimizing damage to normal cells.
6. **Hormone Therapy**: Involves blocking or lowering hormones that fuel certain cancers, particularly breast and prostate cancers.
7. **Stem Cell Transplant**: Replaces diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells to allow for regrowth of normal blood cells.
Each therapy varies in effectiveness depending on the type and stage of cancer, as well as the individual patient’s health status. Combining these therapies is common to improve outcomes and tailor treatment to individual needs.
BioNTech is shifting focus from COVID-19 vaccines to pioneering mRNA-based cancer therapies amid falling vaccine profits. Projected revenues are decreasing, from 3.82 billion euros in 2023 to 1.7 to 2.2…