Cancer therapy refers to a range of treatments designed to combat cancer, which is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. The primary objectives of cancer therapy are to eliminate cancer cells, prevent their spread, and alleviate symptoms associated with the disease.
Cancer therapies can be broadly categorized into several types:
1. **Surgery**: The physical removal of tumors from the body.
2. **Radiation Therapy**: The use of high-energy particles or waves, such as X-rays, to kill or damage cancer cells.
3. **Chemotherapy**: The use of chemical substances, often in the form of drugs, to destroy or inhibit the growth of cancerous cells.
4. **Immunotherapy**: Treatments that harness the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
5. **Targeted Therapy**: These therapies focus on specific molecular targets that are associated with cancer, aiming to interrupt the growth and spread of cancer cells.
6. **Hormone Therapy**: Treatments that slow or stop the growth of cancers that use hormones to grow.
The choice of cancer therapy depends on various factors including the type of cancer, its stage, the patient’s overall health, and specific characteristics of the cancer. Multi-modal approaches, combining different therapies, are often employed to enhance effectiveness.
BioNTech is shifting focus from COVID-19 vaccines to mRNA-based cancer therapies amidst declining vaccine demand. In the last quarter of 2024, BioNTech's earnings per share dropped to €1.08, with overall…