Cancer Therapy

Remedies for cancer include cytostatics (“cell toxins”), immunotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy.

Pharmacological Therapy
Cytostatic drugs are administered in order to cure cancer or to slow the course of the disease and relieve symptoms when a cure is not possible. In some cases cytostatic treatment is recommended to reduce the risk of relapse, so called adjuvant treatment. Such a treatment is common after, for example, an operation of breast or colon cancer.
Scientists at LiU are aiming at adjusting therapeuticdoses and types of cytostatics so that secondary effects and damage to normal cells is minimal, while retaining the maximal effect on the tumour. The aim of  cancer treatment today is to be more and target-oriented. This type of therapy differs from traditional treatments in selectively targeting the cancer cells, which means that healthy cells are untouched a greater extent, and isk for side-effects is reduced.
At LiU, some research projects arebeing conducted in order to produce targeting substances aimed at specific proteins, so called receptors, which are found in large amounts in cell membranes of tumour cells.

Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, means that ionized radiation is used for treatment of cancer and certain other diseases. The radiation converts water molecules into chemically reactive hydroxyl ions, which damage the DNA and repair systems of the cell nuclei.
Radiation therapy is given at some point during the cancer treatmentto half of all cancer patients and accounts for 30 percent of all cures in cancer.
During treatment, it is important that the radiation dose is strong enough and does not damage healthy tissue. Researchers at LiU are developing a system that adds to ESR (electron spin resonance) dosimetry. The dosimeter captures free radicals generated by the ionized radiation, and through measuring the amount, an exact measurement of the dose of radiation can be obtained.

Areas of Research

• Personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases
•  Manufacture of cell-specific toxic substances for treatment of malignant tumours
• Dosimetry in radiation therapy
• Life style conditions during cancer treatment