More than 120,000 patients treated: Quirónsalud Torrevieja, a benchmark in oncology and breast cancer treatment

October 22, 2024 21

Young Caucasian adult woman examining her breast for lumps or signs of breast cancer

With more than 20 years of experience and more than 120,000 patients treated, the Quirónsalud Torrevieja Oncology Platform has established itself as a national and international benchmark in the fight against cancer, especially in the treatment of breast cancer

The Oncology Platform of Quirónsalud Torrevieja has established a standard of excellence and avant-garde in the treatment of cancer in Spain. Over these two decades, they have developed innovative approaches, such as personalized oncology, genetic testing, and state-of-the-art therapies, that place this platform at the pinnacle of cancer healthcare.

Innovation in personalised oncology and gene therapies

Quirónsalud Torrevieja is distinguished by its focus on personalised oncology, which is supported by genetic analysis and immunotherapy. Through state-of-the-art genetic sequencing, the medical team can study not only mutations in specific genes, but also the expression of the more than 20,000 genes that code for proteins in the human body. This allows a much more detailed diagnosis of each tumor and, therefore, the design of more effective and less toxic therapies.

The use of genetics to classify tumors and select the most appropriate treatment represents a paradigm shift in cancer care. The platform offers therapeutic options even for those patients with tumors that have shown resistance to conventional treatments such as chemotherapy. Thanks to this approach, Quirónsalud Torrevieja has managed to improve the therapeutic success rate in 70% of the cases treated, compared to the 25% achieved with traditional diagnostic tools.

Immunotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer

One of the emerging treatments in the fight against breast cancer is immunotherapy, a powerful tool that uses the patient’s immune system to attack cancer cells. According to Dr. Manuel Sureda, a specialist at the Oncology Platform at Quirónsalud Torrevieja, this type of therapy has shown promising results, particularly in cases of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive variant that is usually resistant to other treatments such as chemotherapy.

How Immunotherapy Works in Breast Cancer Treatment

The basic principle of immunotherapy is to stimulate the body’s immune system to recognize and destroy tumour cells. Many times, cancer cells develop mechanisms that allow them to evade attack by the immune system, but immunotherapeutic treatments block these strategies, allowing the immune system to act more effectively.

There are different types of immunotherapies for breast cancer, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have been shown to be especially helpful in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab (Herceptin), target specific proteins on cancer cells, making them easier to kill.

Benefits of immunotherapy in breast cancer

Immunotherapy offers a more personalised and less toxic option than traditional chemotherapy, as it is designed to specifically target cancer cells without harming healthy cells as much. However, this treatment is not suitable for all types of breast cancer. Its use depends on the specific characteristics of the tumour and the patient’s response to previous therapies.

The most advanced technology in radiotherapy at Quirósalud Torrevieja

Radiotherapy is another pillar in the oncological treatment of patients with breast cancer, and the Oncology Platform of Quirónsalud Torrevieja has the most advanced technology. Dr. Rosa Cañón, head of the Radiation Oncology Service, highlights the advantages of the new linear accelerators, such as the Varian TrueBeam 2.7 from Quirónsalud Torrevieja, which allows tumours to be treated with millimetric precision, improving the effectiveness of the treatment, minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy tissues and therefore reducing side effects.

Dr. S. S. adds that radiotherapy is used to treat tumours in the breast and lymph node regions (armpit) as well as in advanced cases to treat metastases in other organs, often with curative intent.

Intraoperative radiotherapy

One of the most innovative techniques available at the Oncology Platform is intraoperative radiotherapy, as it has a linear accelerator inside the operating room, with which a dose of radiation is administered during surgery. This technique is performed in patients with early breast cancer, after the resection of the tumour and sentinel lymph node, a dose of radiotherapy is administered in the operating room itself, which avoids postoperative radiotherapy sessions.

Oncological Surgery: State-of-the-Art Approaches

The multidisciplinary approach of the Oncology Platform of Quirónsalud Torrevieja also includes advanced techniques in oncological surgery. Dr. Pedro Bretcha, head of the Surgical Oncology Service, stresses that more than 95% of breast cancer cases require surgical intervention. Surgery is used for both curative and palliative purposes, depending on the stage and aggressiveness of the tumour.

Breast preservation techniques

In recent years, an effort has been made to reduce the need for radical mastectomies, preferring conservative surgeries that preserve as much breast tissue as possible. In some cases, the administration of chemotherapy or immunotherapy before surgery can reduce the size of the tumor, facilitating a less invasive intervention and, therefore, improving the patient’s quality of life.

When should breast cancer surgery be used?

Surgical treatment is part of breast cancer treatment in more than 95% of cases. It generally has a curative purpose. In fewer cases it has a palliative purpose, that is, to avoid complications or unwanted effects due to tumour growth, such as bleeding, over-infections or pain in widely disseminated tumours and in which the possibility of cure is minimal, but surgery can contribute to improving the quality of life of patients. In a small number of cases we do not perform surgery, such as when the tumour has a good prognosis, in elderly women, or with associated pathology where the risk of surgery is greater than the benefit of it in the treatment of breast cancer.

Precision Medicine: A Promising Future in Cancer Treatments

Quirónsalud Torrevieja’s Oncology Platform not only focuses on the current treatment of cancer, but also looks to the future with its focus on precision medicine. This concept, as defined by Dr. Manuel Sureda, involves adapting treatments to the individual genetic characteristics of each patient, creating a “tailor-made suit” for each cancer case.

Transcriptome: A New Horizon in Cancer Treatment

The analysis of the transcriptome, which studies the expression of RNA in tumour cells, has allowed the doctors at Quirónsalud Torrevieja to offer more personalised and effective therapies. In up to 70% of the cases studied, this analysis has provided valuable information on the resistance or sensitivity of tumours to certain drugs, which has allowed treatments to be adjusted in real time.

Transcriptome Analysis Increases Clinical Benefit of Breast Tumours by 70%

The transcriptome study provides personalized information on aspects relevant to the treatment of tumours, such as resistance or sensitivity to chemotherapy or other types of antitumor drugs

This approach not only improves treatment efficacy, but also offers a higher chance of tumour control and increases the patient’s quality of life. The Oncology Platform of Quirónsalud Torrevieja has been a pioneer in the use of the transcriptome in Spain and continues to advance in this area to improve clinical outcomes in patients with breast cancer.

Written by: Lily

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