Cancer Research: From Understanding to Targeted Therapy

French cancer research began with recognizing cancer as cellular disease. Xavier Bichat's tissue theory explained why cancers from different organs could behave similarly—they arose from similar tissue types. This insight guided treatment approaches targeting tissue characteristics rather than organ location.

The Curie family's work with radioactivity provided both understanding and treatment. Marie Curie's discovery of radium and polonium enabled radiation therapy. Her daughter Irène's work on artificial radioactivity created medical isotopes. Their Institute of Radium, later Institut Curie, pioneered radiation oncology while studying radiation's biological effects.

French researchers contributed significantly to understanding oncogenes and tumor suppressors. The discovery that normal cellular genes could become cancer-causing when mutated revealed cancer as corrupted normal processes rather than foreign invasion. This understanding enabled targeted therapies attacking cancer's specific vulnerabilities while sparing normal cells.

Modern French oncology emphasizes personalized medicine. The Gustave Roussy Institute's molecular profiling of tumors guides treatment selection. Rather than treating all breast cancers similarly, genetic analysis identifies which patients benefit from specific therapies. This precision approach—matching treatment to tumor biology—improves outcomes while reducing unnecessary toxicity.