Chemotherapy for Cancer Could Soon Be Unviable Because of Superbugs

schwit1 writes: Cancer doctors fear superbugs which can't be treated with antibiotics will soon remove chemotherapy as a treatment option for their patients, a survey has revealed. Cancer patients are more vulnerable to infections because the disease and its treatments can stop the immune system from working correctly.

The research comes as experts try to stem the rise of bugs which can't be treated with antibiotics. According to the U.N., at least 700,000 people die each year from drug-resistant infections. Research cited in the report states that figure could spike to ten million by 2050.

Berman highlighted in the report: "No new class of antibiotics has been discovered since the 1980s and the lack of market incentives for research and development has led the pharma industry to largely abandon projects developing new treatments.