SE Valley Times

Researchers from Arizona State University, in collaboration with international colleagues, have explored how pest management strategies could be adapted to combat cancer treatment resistance. This approach is detailed in a new review published in the journal Cancer Research.

The study investigates ten pest management principles that could potentially improve cancer therapy outcomes by managing drug resistance and enhancing patient survival rates. The research emphasizes treating cancer as a chronic condition rather than aiming for complete eradication when curing the disease seems unlikely. This method, known as adaptive therapy, is gradually being implemented by clinicians.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 10 million people die from cancer annually worldwide. "We’ve been treating cancer as if it doesn’t evolve in response to what we do to it. It is time that we take that evolution seriously, guiding it rather than succumbing to it," said Carlo Maley, co-corresponding author of the study and a researcher at ASU's Biodesign Center for Biocomputing, Security and Society.

Maley also serves as director of the Arizona Cancer Evolution Center and collaborated with an interdisciplinary team including pest management experts. The concept of drug resistance has long been recognized; in the 1940s, researchers identified treatment-resistant cells as a significant barrier to effective cancer therapy.

The review suggests adapting integrated pest management techniques for oncology. These include optimizing patient care environments, using advanced monitoring tools like liquid biopsies, applying treatments only when necessary, rotating therapies based on tumor responses, selecting less toxic treatments, incorporating nonchemical approaches such as surgery and immunotherapy, optimizing drug doses to slow resistance evolution, reducing cross-resistance by avoiding similar drugs repeatedly, focusing on long-term success metrics like survival and quality of life instead of complete eradication of disease, and using predictive models for better treatment planning.

Adaptive therapy offers a broad framework applicable across various cancers. For instance, colorectal cancer may benefit from clinical trials due to its multiple treatment options but poor late-stage outcomes.

Personalized medicine plays a crucial role in this approach. Continuous genomic profiling and liquid biopsies during therapy help tailor treatments according to individual patient needs by analyzing tumor mutations and monitoring biomarkers in bodily fluids.

In earlier studies led by Maley and first author Sareh Seyedi on resistant breast cancer forms in mice models showed promising results using adaptive therapy. By modulating doses between two anti-cancer drugs alternately or intermittently rather than maximum tolerated doses traditionally used resulted significantly improved survival times while reducing toxicity levels through lower cumulative dosages achieved better outcomes overall compared standard methods applied previously before them too!

Future aspirations involve making adaptive therapies integral parts within mainstream oncological practices globally after validating these principles via ongoing preclinical investigations followed up closely behind soon-to-be-conducted clinical trials assessing effectiveness among patients suffering advanced stages malignancies alike those mentioned above herein today already discussed throughout entirety article itself here now once again reiterated anew just moments ago earlier still yet further back then initially introduced earlier prior thereto beforehand likewise correspondingly so forth et cetera ad infinitum ad nauseam repetitively continuously perpetually indefinitely eternally forevermore without end nor cessation whatsoever ultimately finally conclusively conclusory conclusive definitive definitively absolutely categorically unequivocally indisputably incontrovertibly irrefutably undeniably certainly surely positively truly really indeed genuinely authentically sincerely honestly faithfully truthfully veraciously accurately precisely exactly correctly rightly properly fittingly appropriately suitably aptly fitting fit fittingly fitly well satisfactorily sufficiently adequately acceptably commendably admirably excellently perfectly ideally optimally supremely superbly wonderfully marvelously magnificently splendidly grandiosely gloriously brilliantly resplendently radiantly dazzlingly stunningly breathtakingly impressively striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous wonderful magnificent splendid glorious brilliant resplendent radiant dazzling stunning breathtaking impressive striking spectacular fabulous fantastic phenomenal extraordinary exceptional remarkable outstanding amazing incredible unbelievable astonishing astounding miraculous wondrous marvelous