Cancers That Still Stump Doctors

Some types of cancer are tough to beat because they show no signs until they grow big or spread early. Because of this, doctors often find them too late for the usual chemo or radiation to work. Breast cancer is a prime example. It can be tiny yet already have moved to other parts of the body, and even after a successful treatment it may return many years later. One specialist once saw the same breast tumor reappear after 35 years. Other hard‑to‑treat cancers include pancreatic, a deadly brain tumor called glioblastoma, liver and esophageal cancer.These illnesses have claimed many lives even when the best care was given. Hope is on the rise for some of these diseases. Research has started to improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer, and people with metastatic melanoma now have a 30‑50% chance of living more than five years. Many patients with ovarian cancer also enjoy longer, better‑quality lives even if the disease isn’t cured. Progress depends on big funding for basic science. Without it, breakthroughs that could turn these grim diagnoses into manageable conditions will stay out of reach.