A society where people live with cancer, not die from it

In Japan, nearly half of the population will have cancer, which accounts for about one-third of all deaths. Many cancer patients endure painful treatments and experience a regrettable final stage of their lives. However, although it is common for small cancers to develop with age, they do not significantly impact daily life if their progression can be controlled. I am focusing on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which contributes to cancer cell invasion and metastasis, and am conducting immunotherapy research to prevent cancer malignancy. While therapies aiming for complete eradication of cancer can place a heavy burden on patients, if immunotherapy can control cancer progression, we may not need to eradicate it completely but rather manage it as a less severe condition. I hope to create a future where people can live fuller lives despite having cancer.

URL

https://kdb.iimc.kyoto-u.ac.jp/profile_private/en.08eac8b0a8c39a10.html
https://research.kyoto-u.ac.jp/documentary/d030/ (in Japanese)