Al will play a major role in drug discovery and development

There are theories about why Hippocrates, the father of medicine, named a cluster of abnormal cells karkinos (Greek for crab). Was it because the tumour felt hard as a rock, reminding him of the crab's shell?

-  SUSAMMA JOY KURIAN

INTERVIEW: Dr JAME ABRAHAM

CHAIRMAN, DEPARTMENT OF HEMATOLOGY AND MEDICAL ONCOLOGY, CLEVELAND CLINIC

Or, was it because of the stubborn nature of the disease, quite like how a crab doesn't let go of you easily when it bites? Cancer continues to baffle and fascinate us, much like the origin of the word. But we surely have come a long way in understanding and treating it. Now, with artificial intelligence, there is new hope, says Dr Jame Abraham of Cleveland Clinic. As someone heading the department of hematology and medical oncology, he has seen both the human and clinical side of fighting cancer. In an interview with THE WEEK, Abraham, whose latest book-Cleveland Notes traces his journey as a cancer physician, talks about how new therapies are changing cancer care.

Q CAR T-cell therapy has revolutionised cancer care. Most drugs today work on activating the immune system to attack cancer cells. How big a difference has the therapy made in treating different kinds of cancer?

A Training our immune system to attack cancer cells without causing damage to normal cells is one of the most important advances in cancer therapy in the past 10 years. Various immunotherapy approaches including monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, and CAR T-cell therapy are currently saving patients’ lives. Immunotherapy has improved survival in advanced melanoma and lung cancer—two of the most lethal cancer diagnosis. In August 2015, former US president Jimmy Carter was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma that had spread to his brain. He was treated with pembrolizumab (immunotherapy) and has been in remission for the past eight years, which is a remarkable achievement. Similarly, CAR T-cell therapy is offering long-term remission in advanced myeloma and lymphoma diagnosis.