Biology of cancer: current insights and perspectives

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells that results in the formation of a cell mass called a tumor. The origin of tumors depends on different factors, including environmental causes, metabolic changes, and genetic mutations. Conventional treatment methods, like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, fail to provide a complete remission from the disease. The 21st century is the age of exploration for efficient cancer treatment modalities that include targeted therapy, combination treatments, monoclonal antibody-mediated strategies, and immunotherapy. These new approaches are more promising and help to get rid of the recurrence. The individualized treatment methods basically consider the uniqueness of the tumor in terms of surface antigen expression and drug resistance. Several cancer hallmarks have been proposed to elaborate the various pathways used by cancer cells for their survival and development. Since the tumor behavior is too complex for humans, the challenges are piling up one after another.