A study published in Science Translational Medicine shows that doctors have devised personalised blood tests that can gauge the effectiveness of cancer treatment.
By examining genetic material in this way, medics could be able to calculate exactly how much radiotherapy and chemotherapy each individual patient needs.
The personalised blood tests could also be used to detect whether the disease is recurring earlier than existing screening methods.
Professor Victor Velculescu, one of the scientists behind the study, said this could enable people to manage their own cancer.
'This will be a step towards cancer becoming a manageable chronic disease rather than an acute terminal disease,' he commented.
About 126,000 people in the UK die from cancer every year, NHS figures show, but there are various steps people can take to manage their condition.
For instance, wearing a cancer alert bracelet can ensure paramedics know about your illness and treatment regimen should you ever need emergency care.
By examining genetic material in this way, medics could be able to calculate exactly how much radiotherapy and chemotherapy each individual patient needs.
The personalised blood tests could also be used to detect whether the disease is recurring earlier than existing screening methods.
Professor Victor Velculescu, one of the scientists behind the study, said this could enable people to manage their own cancer.
'This will be a step towards cancer becoming a manageable chronic disease rather than an acute terminal disease,' he commented.
About 126,000 people in the UK die from cancer every year, NHS figures show, but there are various steps people can take to manage their condition.
For instance, wearing a cancer alert bracelet can ensure paramedics know about your illness and treatment regimen should you ever need emergency care.
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