Treating the cause: a core strategy to address the root cause of the disease

Causal treatment refers to treatment methods that target the direct cause or pathogenesis of a disease, which is in sharp contrast to "symptomatic treatment". Its core is to achieve a fundamental solution to the disease by eliminating the causative factors or correcting the pathological process. The main contents include:Clarity of cause(such as antibiotics for bacterial infections),Mechanism targeting(such as targeted drugs that block cancer cell signaling pathways) andLong-term effect advantage. Secondary content involves treatment limitations (such as complex causes of some diseases) and the necessity of combined treatments (such as combining symptomatic treatments to relieve symptoms).

Clarification of the cause is the prerequisite for treatment. For example, gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, throughClarithromycin + AmoxicillinThe combination of drugs eradicates bacteria, and the cure rate can reach 90% (World Gastroenterology Organization Guidelines). Another example is that patients with iron deficiency anemia take iron supplements to directly correct the lack of hematopoietic raw materials. This type of treatment requires clear diagnostic support, such as microbial culture, genetic testing and other technologies. The following table lists typical cases of causal treatment:

Precision medicine promotes the development of cause-specific treatment. With the advancement of gene sequencing technology, the FoundationOne CDx test can identify tumor driver genes and guide their use.Osimertinib(produced by AstraZeneca) and other targeted drugs. Artemisinin discovered by Tu Youyou, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology, achieves the cause of disease elimination by destroying the Plasmodium membrane system. However, the causes of some diseases such as Alzheimer's have not been fully elucidated, and treatment still faces challenges.

Combined treatment model improves overall efficacy. In clinical practice, causative and symptomatic treatments are often combined, for example, patients with hypertension takeValsartan(Produced by Novartis) While lowering blood pressure, it is combined with diuretics to eliminate edema. The team of Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, proposed a strategy of "cause treatment (antiviral) + organ support" in the treatment of COVID-19. It should be noted that over-reliance on treatment may delay emergency treatment. For example, in septic shock, blood pressure must be maintained first before fighting infection.

Treatment of causes represents a directional breakthrough in the development of medicine. From Fleming’s discovery of penicillin to CAR-T cell therapy, the essence is intervention targeting the cause. However, ideal treatment for the cause must meet three conditions:The cause of the disease can be identified, the intervention methods are effective, and the patient's compliance is good. In the future, with the development of organoid models, AI drug screening and other technologies, targeted treatment will play a greater role in fields such as tumors and genetic diseases.

Quote sources:
1. World Health Organization "Guidelines for the Clinical Use of Antimicrobial Agents"
2. Tu Youyou "Pharmacological Research on Artemisinin and Its Derivatives"
3. "Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Plan (Ninth Edition)" by Zhong Nanshan's team
4. Production company and product information comes from the data disclosed on the official websites of each company.