Spain is projected to exceed 300,000 new cancer diagnoses in 2025, highlighting the growing public health challenge posed by the disease, according to data from the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM). This increase underscores the need for greater emphasis on early detection, patient involvement in research, and personalized treatment approaches.
Researchers are making strides on multiple fronts in the fight against cancer, with several promising avenues of investigation emerging.
Progress Toward a Cure for Pancreatic Cancer
A team led by Mariano Barbacid at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) recently achieved a significant breakthrough, successfully curing mice with the most common and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. While human trials are still several years away – researchers estimate they will begin in three years – the results offer considerable hope for a disease that remains particularly difficult to treat. The research is expected to require an investment of 30 million euros.
Testing ‘Ozempic’ in Endometrial Cancer Treatment
Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are planning a clinical trial involving overweight or obese women diagnosed with early-stage endometrial hyperplasia or cancer who wish to preserve their fertility. The trial, led by Wilkie and Inhiesta Doñate, will combine a progestin-releasing intrauterine device (IUD) with LGP1. “There is an increasing number of women with this profile developing this tumor, although obesity is a risk factor for cancer in general,” explained Eduardo Vilar Sánchez, of the Red de Ensayos Clínicos Preventiva at the U.S. Hospital.
Ultra-Early Diagnosis
Molecular tests are now available that can detect tumors earlier than traditional imaging methods, using samples of bodily fluids. Antonio Cubillo, director of HM CIOCC, anticipates these tests will become more widely available for general population screening in the near future. “The main risk factor for cancer is age. The population should undergo check-ups starting at 40-45 years aged for much earlier detection, and we could potentially cure 90% of tumors, compared to the 60% we currently achieve.” Many of these tests utilize artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that incorporate clinical data from seemingly healthy patients as well. Cubillo believes this approach represents a key pathway toward cancer cures. Luis Paz Ares, head of Oncology at the 12 de Octubre hospital, agrees that future technologies will offer more sensitive molecular detection of minimal traces of tumor nucleic acids in the blood, aided by AI.
Targeted Therapies
Oncologists Cubillo and Eduardo Vilar-Sánchez both highlighted the potential of various inhibitors targeting KRAS, a revolutionary class of drugs aimed at proteins that drive solid tumors. “We already have some approved, but more inhibitors are on the way, targeting a wider range of mutations, which will be very valuable tools,” Cubillo noted. Specific inhibitors, such as CDK4 for advanced breast cancer and PD1 inhibitors that boost the immune system’s ability to fight cancer cells, also fall into this category, according to Paz Ares. “And there is a wealth of them yet to come.”
Personalized Cancer Vaccines
The trend is moving toward curative treatments, and personalized vaccines – in addition to preventative vaccines designed for the general population – will be crucial, particularly when combined with other therapies. Researchers are also exploring the combination of oncolytic viruses with immunotherapy, prompting immune cells to attack tumors.
Genomics and Cancer
New genomic markers will help to “stratify patients by tumor subtypes,” explained Paz Ares. “We already have markers that allow us to divide lung or breast tumors, and this has significant therapeutic implications, allowing us to design and guide treatment for each tumor.”
This leads to a future with “increasing numbers of survivors.” Specialized units are emerging in Europe to provide care for these patients – those who have been cured of cancer and are undergoing follow-up, but may experience long-term side effects and require ongoing support. “We already have a unit that coordinates and addresses these needs, but more are needed,” Cubillo explained.
Mariluz Amador, medical director of Roche Farma España, echoed this sentiment, noting that the increasing survival rates “give our work a greater social component due to its impact.” She emphasized the need for a “comprehensive approach that considers science and innovation, as well as the patient and their decisions when choosing a treatment.” Amador believes advances in oncology should focus on “achieving therapeutic solutions that ensure the sustainability of the healthcare system and take into account the patient’s quality of life.”
