BC oncologists confident enough to use the word ‘cure’ when talking about cancer

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Are we getting closer to ending cancer?

Researchers say there is reason to believe in an eventual end to the disease.

“Oncologists in British Columbia actually now have the confidence to use the word ‘cure,'” says Lindsay Carswell with the BC Cancer Foundation.

He’s the director of The Ride to Conquer Cancer, which raises funds for some of the more innovative research going on right now in BC.

Carswell says we lead the world in some cutting-edge research. It’s in an area known as “personalized cancer care.”

He calls it a new era in cancer care. “We’ve actually now arrived at a place where we’re able to sequence a person’s genetic make-up and treat the cancer based on what it reads.”

“Essentially, [we can] get the molecular make-up of a person’s tumour and then treat it based on what story it tells,” he explains.

Personalized, targeted care — rather than using an “off the shelf” treatment — is particularly effective for tumours that resist traditional treatments.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, responsible for almost a third of all mortalities.

On average, more than 200 Canadians died from cancer every day in 2015.

Today, to mark World Cancer Day,you can register for The Ride to Conquer Cancer for the discounted price of $25, using the promo code WCD25.

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