Op-ed:

Battling Cancer, Big Pharma Notwithstanding

By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor

The article posted here is the authors opinion alone, and does not necessarily represent the views of blogspot.com or Google  

Recently, numerous reports have been surfacing in both the televised and print media as well as on numerous social media online sites, about two possible new cures...the hoped for “silver bullet” if you will...for certain types of cancers including but not limited to skin cancer (basal, squamous, and melanoma), bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, Non-Small-Cell lung cancer, breast cancer, Barrett esophagus, Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, and other once deemed deadly cancers.

The first is called “Photodynamic Therapy” (PDT), and it's a noninvasive therapeutic approach that is currently being used to treat non-cancerous conditions like UTIs, periodontal diseases, sinusitis, gastritis, and acne. Now being added to our cancer fighting arsenal, PDT has been FDA deemed as a safe two-step procedure that is especially successful in managing and treating the later stages of certain types of cancer while actually resulting in “cures” in some less severely affected cancer patients.

And the second is called “Photoimmunology Therapy” (PIT), and it too has been deemed a two-step procedure with its added bonus being that it can help to “stimulate” the patient's own immune system to either help in fighting their cancer or at least help to keep said cancer in long term “check.”

Now as to how both therapies work when other standard cancer therapies failed, one needs to understand the actual logistics of both therapies, and do so in simple layman's terms. After all, aren't we all laymen when it comes to the dreaded “C-word”...I surely think so.

First, in certain types of cancers where “Photodynamic Therapy” might prove to be an option, a special “red light” activated “photosensitive agent”...an agent that only becomes toxic when exposed to the “red Light”...is administered to the patient either intravenously, topically, or on a rare occasion by mouth, and then attaches itself to an antibody specifically designed to bind to the “red light-sensitive” cancer cells. Once deemed attached, a specific wavelength of laser generated “red light” is turned on which creates a reactive oxygen agent that kills the photosensitive, now vulnerable, highly toxic cancer cells.

And in other types of cancers where a highly specific wavelength of oxygen producing “blue light” therapy is being used, a different “blue light” photosensitive agent is used to target and inwardly “invade” a cancerous tumor, which in turn then causes a “chemical reaction” to occur. And it's the “chemical reaction” between the photosensitive agent and the “blue light” itself which destroys the cancer cells from within while leaving the surrounding normal healthy cells intact.

But know that both red and blue light “Photodynamic Therapy” destroy their targeted cancers minus what can be the horrific side effects of standard cancer drugs and/or radiation therapies and treatments.

Now as for “Photoimmunology Therapy” (PIT)...which is simply a more advanced type of PDT...sees the key difference between the two therapies as being PIT's inclusion of both an immune protein specifically designed as an antibody-photosensitizer conjugate...as in a compound formed by chemically joining two or more different substances (such as an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), with a cancer-targeting antibody) with an existing chemotherapy drug to deliver said drug specifically to tumor cells...resulting in a better targeted cancer cell that is combined with an immune protein delivery which includes a secondary immune activation mechanism, something that is not a component of standard PDT.

And while both therapies do target cancer cells more precisely than standard treatment options, they have their own set of drawbacks including, but not limited to, the fact that said patient might exhibit “light sensitivity” for weeks or months after treatment; might see some burns in the areas being treated with some incidents of scarring possible; and that neither therapy can, to date, treat either deep seated tumors no matter their size, or cancers that have metastasized and traveled to other areas of the body. But even with said drawbacks both PDT and PIT therapies are indeed the next generation of treatments in our battle against cancer, the second leading cause of death in the U,S, today.

And with all that said, now here the questions become threefold. First, how fast will said therapies become routinely available to the general public? Second, what will said therapies cost as opposed to the cost of standardized cancer treatments? And third, and most importantly, what if any part will “Big Pharma” itself play in these newest treatments and why?

 

To answer that last question first as it's surely prime on many minds, one must first accept as fact that while “Big Pharma”...a collective of multinational top tier pharmaceutical companies...continues to claim that it's main goal for the remainder of this and continuing into next year is to “balance its need for profitability with the intense public demand for innovative, accessible, and affordable treatments by focusing on technological advancements”...one cannot forget the fact that ”Big Pharma” itself remains one of the most profitable industries in America today.

And profitable puts it mildly for when one is able to set its own industry prices it becomes both a powerful political jump off point for lobbyists and easily bought-and-paid-for politicians, as well as for those in certain aspects of the money-making medical field itself...as in the doctors more concerned about “raking in the bucks” than their patients well being. 

 

And to show just how profitable “Big Pharma” really is, “AHIP”... the national association whose members provide healthcare coverage and services to millions of Americans...not long ago put out a statement that over the past 20 years “Big Pharma” drug companies made over $18.6 billion in total worldwide revenues on new prescription drugs that cost them about $1.8 billion to actually develop. And to make matters worse they do so while continuing to raise prescription drug prices, with some prices being raised two or even three times per year.

 

So that alone should tell how “Big Pharma” will treat and most assuredly make a profit off the new “Photodynamic” and “Photoimmunology” therapies” soon coming to market, besides the fact that it's already being used in some major city hospitals.

Actually, “Big Parma's” hand is already stirring this medical cutting edge pot in regards to said therapies while they continue to rake in the big bucks. How so?

• First, when one considers the fact that said therapies require the optimizing and integrating of two primary components, as in the photosensitizing drug being used and the light delivery system itself, it then becomes highly unlikely that a one size fits all “photosensitive agent” would be effective in all cancer cases, hence the need for the development of different types of drug agents...agents most likely with a highly profitable price tag in balance with this now emerging market. And it's more likely than not that “Big Pharma” is currently examining these therapies in terms of market share, gross margin, product portfolio, production, revenue, sales growth, and other significant bottom line factors. Why so...because “Big Pharma” must be prepared to counter any independent competitors who might be trying to counter “Big Pharma's” now set priced “photosensitive agents.”

• Second, “Big Pharma” is likely already involved in trying to help improve the actual “photoimmunotherapy” delivery systems itself so that better tissue penetration, especially in deeply embedded solid tumors can be achieved. Remember, the more people who are able to receive such treatments equates to more profits for profit driven “Big Pharma”, especially in light of the fact that the global “photosensitizer” drug market was valued at 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, and is now currently projected to reach about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars by 2032.

• Third, with both “Photodynamic and Photoimmunology” therapies still somewhat in the infancy stage, so to speak, the room for monetary growth and hence profits is seemingly unlimited for the parties involved, especially those who get in on the ground level. And with “Big Pharma” being able to set the prices for the photosensitizer drugs currently being used in said therapies, they will continue to rake in the monetary profits while the actual patient(s) will still have to work their way through the ever-growing complex bureaucrat controlled health system that is the hallmark of today's health insurance coverage in general. And the patient might also have to do so in regards to certain cost rebates, and the many times needed adjunct healthcare service providers.

• Fourth, “Big Pharma” already plays a part in the still ongoing photodynamic and photoimmunolgy clinical trials, as well as their working to form new “strategic partnerships” to help bring these two new technologies to a now growing market. But most importantly, “Big Pharma” will continue to set the prices for the drugs it develops, and will most likely increase said prices as “Photodynamic and Photoimmunologies Therapies” garner more adherents no matter their possibly outpacing what are current fair market estimated costs. That, unfortunately, is just the way the “Big Pharma” beast still operates, as in profits will always come first and foremost, with actual patient care being second, if even that.

So with all this said one has to wonder if, in time, either “Photodynamic Therapy” or “Photoimmunology Therapy”...or possibly even a combination of the two... might become the long hoped for cancer “silver bullet.” But logic alone has me believing that this will not be the case for the disease that is cancer is surely not limited to being just one type or another. In fact, there are well over 200 documented types of cancer each one with its own possible causes, unique characteristics, along with numerous treatment options. And while these newest treatments might well aid in arresting or at least slowing down the progression of some proven to be 'light sensitive' cancers, not enough time and resources have been funneled into the much needed numerical and monetary aspects to deem either as being a cure.

Simply, no matter the media hype nor internet chatter, neither therapy will prove to be the long hoped for cure for cancer, at least not yet anyway. And why...because as of now there are too many differing variables and outcomes...both negative and positive...as to the long term effectiveness of each of these newest therapies. And dare not forget the money garnering aspect of cancer, and that “Big Pharma” itself has much to loose if cancer were to indeed be cured.

And while clinical trials should be continued in regards to both what are the newest “light therapies,” so must all other types of cancer research...like, in my opinion, researchers should start searching in earnest not just for a cure or even a treatment per se, but for a way to actually “turn off” what all cancers have in common, as in its accelerated cellular reproductive rate. Turn off a cancer's actual ability to reproduce, and the cancer itself would either die or be rendered inert or harmless, and there goes “Big Pharna's” money making train. Also, remember that what might be but a mere treatment today...what might even be something in research previously overlooked...could in time actually become the cancer “silver bullet” we had all been hoping for. Case closed.

Copyright © 2025 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All rights reserved.. 

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For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen's blog The National Patriot to read his latest article, The Loony Buffoonery of the Liberal Left.

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RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!                                                  Tomorrow, Tuesday, October 21st from 7 to 8:30pm EST, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss 'Battling Cancer, Big Pharma Notwithstanding', 'The Loony Buffoonery of the Liberal Left'; and important news of the day. Hope you can tune in to RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on https://rspradio1.com Click 'LISTEN LIVE' starting at 6:50pm EST, show begins at 7pm EST.