According to international cancer expert Dr. Azra Raza, it is necessary to address the devastating effects of cancer at the highest level.
Discussing the disease and its effects during a series of lectures organized by the Aga Khan University, she said that “most of our resources are invested in trying to understand and treat advanced metastatic cancers”.
She suggests that more money should be invested in a new model to find and eliminate the “first cell”.
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According to the American Cancer Society, cancer patients in the US had paid $5.6 billion for treatments in 2018. Over the years, this number has increased enormously, and it has been determined that mutations are the root cause of all complications.
How Does Mutation Work?
Mutations are genetic changes that occur due to errors in DNA replication in cells. They produce abnormal proteins that direct cells to multiply uncontrollably. This results in the formation of a tumor, and remission is almost impossible at this point.
Dr. Raza explained that mutations are the response of normal cells to stressors like infections, inflammation, autoimmune problems, and toxins. These mutations start with the development of “giant cells”, which Dr. Raza said are the “first cells” of cancer.
The oncologist backs her research and the unique personal repository of patient cells that she has been collecting since 1984 which contains more than 60,000 samples from consenting patients.
“While treating acute myeloid leukemia, I realized this disease won’t be cured during my lifetime,” she said.
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Research shows that 43 percent of all solid tumors have giant cells. There are millions of mutations in the body by the time the cancer is diagnosed — a tumor of 0.1 mm has 300,000 cancerous cells, 1 mm has three million cancerous cells, and 1 cm has three billion cancerous cells.
Dr. Raza revealed that they were are still using the 1970 model, and that “this is a reductionist treatment strategy”. According to the old model, two-thirds of cancer diagnosed today is cured mostly with surgery, chemotherapy, and related treatments.
Although a new model will help to identify what is missing, Dr. Raza believes that by the time the cure arrives, we may not be alive to see it.
