It is hard to imagine thinking or talking about any illnesses besides Covid-19 when we look back on 2020. But while the pandemic took hundreds of thousands of lives, making headlines in the process, millions of others continued their battles against diseases that have been with us since long before the Coronavirus.<\/p>\n
For cancer patients, not only has Covid-19 posed a significant health threat, but it has also taken some of the spotlights off cancer research, fundraising, and treatments.<\/p>\n
At Rock the Treatment, people with cancer are always on our minds. Our clients call us seeking a great way to send positive vibes, healthy treats, and perfect gifts to their friends and family members undergoing cancer treatments.<\/p>\n
Our healthy cancer gift boxes contain items carefully selected and intended to ease cancer’s physical and emotional side effects. Cancer gift baskets from Rock the Treatment are a great way to let cancer patients know you still care about them and their battle.<\/p>\n
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Let\u2019s take a moment to remember that millions of people are out there still fighting cancer, needing care, and hoping for a cure. Despite all of the attention paid to Covid-19, in 2020, there were plenty of breakthroughs in cancer research that might lead to earlier detection, easier treatments, and better outcomes for millions of people.<\/p>\n
According to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, there were several \u201cimportant clinical advances in cancer in 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n
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In May 2020, the FDA approved a drug called selpercatinib, which is sold as Retevmo. This drug is being used to treat lung and thyroid cancers with a specific kind of genetic alteration called RET<\/em> gene mutations or fusions. The data from clinical trials indicated that this drug is a significant advancement in how doctors can treat RET-driven cancers and possibly others.<\/p>\n \n The KRAS cancer gene is responsible for about 1\/4 of lung cancers and between 1\/3 and \u00bd of all colorectal cancers. The KRAS protein, until recently, was thought impervious to drugs.<\/p>\n In a recent study, the results of which were released in September 2020, a drug called sotorasib (AMG 510) stopped or slowed cancer growth in many patients with advanced cancer containing KRAS-G12C, a variation of the mutant KRAS protein.<\/p>\n How does it work? Researchers found that the protein has a pocket that opens and closes. Investigators say this is a significant breakthrough that has potential benefits for many cancer patients. In January 2021, doctors at MSKCS completed a promising report on the drug’s phase II trial.<\/p>\n \n About 8-10% of people with colorectal cancer have what is called BRAF V600E mutation in their tumor. Two drugs in combination, encorafenib, and cetuximab, known as Braftovi and Erbitux, were effective in delaying the onset or progression of metastases and improve quality and possibly the length of life.<\/p>\n \n Cancer cells don\u2019t exist on their own. They rely on a microenvironment in your body to thrive. The microenvironment contains tissues, blood vessels, non-cancerous components, and immune cells that surround the tumors.<\/p>\n A team of doctors discovered that there is a protein in the microenvironment that surrounds certain prostate cancers that makes the tumors therapy-resistant. The doctors have identified the protein called NRG1 and now are researching ways to block the protein to allow treatment to become successful.<\/p>\n This breakthrough suggests that resistance to cancer therapy does not always come from the makeup of the cancer tumor itself. That there are factors in the microenvironment that might affect the tumor suggests we can expect significant changes in the way some cancers get treated.<\/p>\n \n These breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment might yield incredible results for some people battling the disease, if not now, then perhaps years in the future. Today, however, the fight against cancer will continue to be a hard one for millions of those suffering from various forms of the disease.<\/p>\n At Rock the Treatment, we make it easy to let someone with cancer know you care and support them on their difficult journey. If someone you love has cancer, send a helpful cancer gift basket<\/a>\u00a0from Rock The Treatment.\u00a0Chemotherapy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0radiation gift baskets<\/a>\u00a0are packed with\u00a0the essentials needed to ease\u00a0side effects of treatment, as well as enhance physical and mental well-being.\u00a0See all of our\u00a0cancer care packages<\/a>\u00a0and find the one that best supports their journey.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \nProgress Against an \u201cUndruggable\u201d Cancer Protein<\/h2>\n
\nThey determined that if you insert the drug into the protein\u2019s pocket, it freezes it in its \u201coff\u201d state and cannot restart. In other words, it essentially puts the protein to sleep, and cancer cells can\u2019t grow unless it is awake.<\/p>\nNew Hope For Patients With Colorectal Cancer<\/h2>\n
\nIn April 2020, the FDA approved a new combination therapy to treat cancers with this mutation. This type of colorectal cancer is known to metastasize quickly and aggressively.<\/p>\nA Fight Against Therapy Resistance<\/h2>\n
Send Cancer Gift Boxes<\/h2>\n
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