Note: numerous references to ovarian cancer
Conclusions
This review has tried to summarize the history and evolution of the most common types of cancer
treatments available today, but also new therapies under study in the last years. In addition to surgery,
chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy or immunotherapy, new
therapies are now at different stages of development trying to decrease drug toxicity in health tissues
and increase efficacy by targeting tumor angiogenesis, by exploring cell and gene therapy, or by using
new nanostructures for diagnosis or therapeutic purposes. Nanotechnology is offering new products,
which either used alone, due to their intrinsic properties, or in combination with other biomolecules
(anti-tumoral drugs, folic acid, albumin, antibodies, aptamers) could be used to target cancer cells.
However, the history tells us that the fight against cancer is not an easy task. Many types of cancers
are able to resist to conventional therapies, and different combinations of drugs and therapies
(e.g., surgery together with radiotherapy and chemotherapy) are usually the only way to destroy
tumoral cells. This may be also true for the new therapies arriving now to the clinic. Much more
studies are required but these new ways of treatment are opening doors to hope for many patients
waiting for a successful therapy
