Introduction
For decades, the fight against cancer has been described as a war. This is more than just a metaphor: many medical strategies mirror real military tactics. By looking at cancer through the lens of strategy, we can better understand why certain treatments work, why others fail, and why smart combinations are essential.
Direct Attack – Surgery and Radiotherapy
- Surgery: The most straightforward approach – removing the visible tumor, like striking at the enemy’s headquarters.
- Radiotherapy: Bombardment to destroy remaining cells.
- Limitation: Both strategies can be effective, but if “hidden units” (micrometastases) survive, the enemy regroups.
Blockade of Supply Lines – Cutting Resources
- Tumors depend on blood vessels for oxygen and nutrients.
- Anti-angiogenic therapy (e.g., blocking VEGF) acts like cutting supply chains to an enemy city.
- This can slow growth, but tumors sometimes adapt by finding new routes or lowering their metabolism.
Sabotage and Intelligence – Immunotherapy
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., anti-PD-1) are like removing disguises from infiltrators, allowing the body’s “soldiers” (T-cells) to recognize and destroy cancer.
- Cancer vaccines and adoptive cell transfer add new “elite troops.”
- These approaches change the balance of power rather than just attacking directly.
Guerrilla Tactics – Cancer’s Resistance
- Tumor cells use “guerrilla” strategies:
- hiding in low-oxygen zones,
- switching their metabolism,
- mutating rapidly to evade drugs.
- This explains why a single weapon rarely wins the war.
Coalition Warfare – Combination Therapy
- In modern oncology, no single treatment is enough.
- The future lies in coalition warfare: combining surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted drugs in strategic ways.
- Just like in real wars, coordination between different “forces” can overwhelm the enemy.
Why This Matters
Viewing therapy as strategy helps:
- anticipate tumor resistance,
- design better combinations,
- communicate to the public in relatable terms.
This perspective shows that cancer research is not only about stronger weapons, but also about smarter tactics.
Selected References
- Hanahan D, Weinberg RA. Hallmarks of Cancer. Cell (2000, 2011, 2022).
- Folkman J. Angiogenesis in cancer, vascular, rheumatoid and other disease. Nat Med (1995).
- Sharma P, Allison JP. Immune checkpoint therapy for cancer. Nat Rev Immunol (2015).
- Gatenby RA, Brown J. Evolutionary principles of cancer therapy. Nat Rev Cancer (2020)