Despite all the ribbons, an estimated 275,710 women will die from cancer in 2014. But the death rates are declining for many specific types (e.g., breast, stomach, uterine, colorectal), and there are some exciting breakthrough therapies. Here’s why some of the country’s top cancer docs are so optimistic. The Cure: ImmunotherapyPrinciple: Your immune system is the best defense against cancer, but sometimes it needs a little push.What’s at work: Monoclonal antibodies, or mAbs, are molecules designed to ferret out cancer cells and shout “Over here!” to the immune system, which doesn’t always register the cells as interlopers. Once the immune system recognizes the enemy, it can destroy them. These mighty mAbs can also be engineered to block signals on cancer cells to stop them from growing. (Learn more about how immunotherapy treatment works.)What it treats now: Colorectal, lung, and breast cancers, as an accompaniment to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiationThe future: Reducing side effects, making mAbs more versatile and effective, applying them to more cancers, replacing traditional treatment The Cure: The Fly Avatar ModelMedia Platforms Design Team Photo by Rob Lan/Getty Images Principle: Build a tumor in a fruit fly that matches a tumor in a patient; test thousands of drugs on the fly to reveal the best treatment.What’s at work: Cancer grows in fruit flies in the same intricate way it grows in humans, so they provide a nice test bed for study and treatment. Researchers sequence the patient’s tumor and identify mutated genes, and then put it in the fruit fly. Then they test various drugs to cure the fly. Once the tumor is destroyed, the drug cocktail is incorporated into the patient’s treatment program.What it treats now: Possibly colorectal cancer and megillary thyroid carcinoma, but “it’s early,” says Ross Cagan PhD, lead researcher at Mt. Sinai’s Center for Personalized Cancer Therapeutics, where this work is being done.The future: A cocktail of drugs may be harder for cancer cells to withstand than just one drug, and if the model works it can be applied to many cancers. The Cure: Personalized Targeted TherapyMedia Platforms Design Team Photo by Assembly Images/Getty Images Principle: Determine the genetic sequence of each patient’s tumor and customize the treatment accordingly.What’s at work: Using emerging technology (e.g., computational biology, predictive genomics, imaging pads), mutating genes are identified and zapped with drugs tailored specifically for that genomic sequence.What it treats now: Glioblastoma, a type of brain cancerThe future: Avoiding the slash-and-burn strategy of most current cancer treatments could mean fewer side effects and better outcomes—and maybe even a cure. The Cure: PreventionPrinciple: It’s not new, but the message still isn’t getting through. Breaking bad habits like unhealthy eating, smoking, and being sedentary prevents more than 80% of cancers.What’s at work: Quitting smoking, reducing stress, avoiding trans fats, exercising, practicing safe sex, wearing sunscreen, and losing weight help keep your immune system strong.What it treats now: Nearly all cancers, including lung, breast, cervical, colon, skin, and endometrial, says Lorenzo Cohen PhD, professor and director of the Integrative Medicine program at MD Anderson.The future: “If we can encourage people to eat properly, to exercise, and to quit smoking, then cancer becomes a rare disease,” she says. Imagine that. MORE: 10 Ways To Keep Cancer Out Of Your Future
