The Future of Innovative Cancer Treatments

Investing in the future of cancer treatment can help end cancer as we know it, one share at a time. Why? Because without the promise of innovative therapies and technologies, the numbers look scary.

Just this year, 1.9 million Americans have been diagnosed with cancer, with 1 in 5 men in the U.S. having a chance of dying from the disease, and 1 and 6 women (1). But there is hope. Recent advances in therapies that target the best treatment for each patient have improved the odds that someone who has been diagnosed with cancer will not only survive, but thrive.

An American Cancer Society report indicated that the rate of people dying from cancer has dropped every year for 26 straight years. The largest single-year drop, 2.2 percent, in the rate of people dying from cancer was in 2017, the most recent year tracked (2).

What happened? More effective early detection, treatment advances, and lifestyle changes, to start. And a lot of innovation in modern cancer care that’s improving the odds for cancer patients everywhere.

To block the growth of tumors, the cancer-fighting arsenal now has treatments like immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormonal therapy, in addition to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Government initiatives like the US’s ambitious Cancer Moonshot have put billions behind opening up access to cutting-edge cancer diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical trials—funding not just research but ways to foster collaboration and sharing of data, supporting 240 research projects across over 70 cancer initiatives (3). Innovation is forging ahead at all scales, from pharmaceutical industry giants like Bristol-Myers Squibb (

Cancer is something that we all want to beat. And, these days, our chances of actually accomplishing that goal are better than ever. As new technologies become commercialized, millions will be diagnosed earlier and successfully connected with their cures. It won’t happen overnight, though. It will happen one breakthrough at a time.

For all of the progress in cancer treatment, there is much to do. The average cancer patient who receives treatment tends to live only a little more than 2 months longer (4). New cancer therapies like immunotherapy have the potential to shake up traditional cancer treatment—and companies are recognizing this. Investors who are putting money behind the next stage of cancer therapy will be part of a surge expected in the global cancer treatment market of $274.4 billion by 2030 (5).

Here are innovative cancer treatments to invest in:

Genomics testing can detect cancer before it becomes visible or shows symptoms. This tool is useful for not only early cancer detection but the identification of genetic factors behind higher cancer death rates in black patients, which can help communities address inequities in care. Gene editing that uses a precision technology like CRISPR (

) has the potential to control tumor growth—so one day cancer may become a manageable disease, like high blood pressure.

Doctors can harness the power of the immune system to help patients fight cancer. Now a household name thanks to COVID-19 vaccines, mRNA can be used help “train” your body to stop cancer cells. 

 use particles 100 to 10,000 times smaller than human cells to target cancer cells and deliver nano-doses to cancerous cells.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud platforms for cancer care

Precision care relies on the tools of electronic health records, genetic testing, big data analytics, and supercomputing. 

 speedily analyzes and categorizes electronic health data, so that researchers can map the pathology of cancer. Cloud-based platforms like Cancer Genomics Cloud (CGC) house cancer data sets, including the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), which makes a huge amount of data available to researchers quickly and securely.

Aside from patient-centric therapies, investors interested in investing in cancer treatment could look at another fast-growing sector in cancer care, 

, which has been shown to ease the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy. Additionally, investors can look for mutual funds or ETFs that group assets into themes like immunotherapy.

Picking which therapies will be the next big thing typically calls for advanced medical research knowledge and understanding that most investors simply don’t have. Searching for "cancer treatment" on 

 gives you a host of suggestions for innovative investments in cancer research:

“Cancer Facts & Figures 2022,” accessed December 15, 2022, American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/cancer-facts-figures-2022.html; and “Lifetime Risk of Developing or Dying From Cancer,” accessed December 15, 2022, American Cancer Society, https://www.cancer.org/healthy/cancer-causes/general-info/lifetime-probability-of-developing-or-dying-from-cancer.html.

“New report shows cancer death rate declined for 26th straight year,” January 15, 2020, CBS8.com, https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/morning-extra/new-report-shows-cancer-death-rate-declined-for-26th-straight-year/509-78b07ff2-1e88-4b80-a8b5-f70c3ebdc62c.

Sharpless, Norman E., M.D., and Dinah Singer, Ph.D., “The Cancer Moonshot: A Midpoint Progress Update,” January 11, 2021, National Cancer Institute, https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/cancer-moonshot-midpoint-progress-update.

Im, Subin, “New Horizons in Cancer Treatment: What Investor Need to Know,” April 2022, SickEconomics.com, https://www.sickeconomics.com/2022/05/03/cancer-treatment-stocks-investors-should-know/.

“Cancer Therapy Market - Growth, Trends, Covid-19 Impact, And Forecasts (2022 - 2027),” accessed December 16, 2022, MordorIntelligence.com.

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