Blood cancer: better information to improve quality of life

The World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts more than 35 million new cases of cancer by 2050, a 77% increase over the 20 million cases in 2022. Although the treatment of most of them can already be anticipated thanks to innovation, communication also plays a fundamental role in achieving early diagnosis, expanding information and gaining access to treatments more quickly. In short, it contributes to improving patients’ quality of life.

The report “The Ailments of Blood”, prepared by LLYC, focuses on hematological cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. They are often complicated and with symptoms that take time to appear so that diagnosis is late and the prognosis for the patient can be very negative. Although research and development of new innovative therapies is amazing, with more and better drugs, it is necessary:

More engagement. There is an urgent need for an open and continuous dialogue between governments and companies so that innovative drugs reach the patients who need them as quickly as possible. Those who develop public health policies have to identify the role, the relevance and establish the requirements to achieve a system that really benefits the patient.

Improving the narrative. International organizations recommend designing communication campaigns that raise awareness of blood cancers to improve diagnosis and enable patients to have a better prognosis. 

Using new technologies. They represent a great opportunity for healthcare companies to better engage with their audiences. Now, thanks to data-driven marketing experts, it is possible to gain insights from patients and prescribers that enable better decision making and a better understanding of the challenges they face.  

Georgina Rosell, Partner and Senior Director of Healthcare Europe at LLYC: “The big challenge we face with innovative technologies and medicines remains access to them for the majority of patients. It often takes more than four years for an innovative drug to be approved by the FDA, the U.S. regulatory agency, or the EMA, the European Medicines Agency, to be reviewed by other regulatory agencies in different developing countries. This delay can mean life or death for those suffering from this type of disease. The role of communication is key. More information can improve diagnosis and the quality of life of patients. 

Lack of awareness in society about the importance of performing basic annual laboratory tests and lack of proper referral after consultation with the general practitioner or primary care physician are some of the main challenges in achieving early diagnosis in relation to blood diseases.

Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy form the basis of the therapeutic approach to cancer treatment. However, in recent years, there have been efforts to improve the patient experience with treatments with fewer side effects, and thanks to genetic medicine, it is possible to tailor treatment to each patient’s profile. Personalized medicine has enabled more advanced treatments, such as immunotherapy or CAR-T therapy.

According to PHARMA (The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America), there are currently more than 500 drugs in development for blood and clotting disorders, including blood cancers. Of these 162 are for lymphomas, 158 for various types of leukemia, 84 for multiple myeloma and 73 for malignant neoplasms. 

In research conducted by LLYC’s global Healthcare team, there are currently 32 new drugs already submitted for regulatory approval, 5 for leukemia, 20 for lymphomas and 8 for multiple myeloma, which means that, in a very short time, specialists will have new therapies to help more patients.