Why Haven’t We Cured Cancer Yet? | Dr. Bob Liu Explains

Why haven’t we cured cancer yet? A Genentech scientist explains the real reason.In this episode of BioTalk Unzipped, Gregory Austin and Dr. Chad Briscoe sit down with Dr. Bob Liu, Senior Principal Scientist at Genentech Roche, to unpack one of the most important and misunderstood questions in modern medicine.This is a rigorous, scientifically grounded conversation on cancer biology, immunotherapy, and the real constraints shaping oncology drug development today.Dr. Liu brings over a decade of experience across antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, and CAR-T therapies, offering a rare, insider perspective on why a universal cure remains elusive and where meaningful progress is actually being made.Thanks to our Founding Sponsor: LEUCENTRA: Helping teams evaluate, implement, and get real value from IT solutions that support innovation, not slow it down. https://leucentra.com/ What You’ll LearnWhy cancer is not one disease, but more than 200 biologically distinct conditionsWhat “curing cancer” actually means in clinical oncologyHow immunotherapies like checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T are changing outcomesThe biological limits of eliminating every cancer cellHow tumors evade immune detection and adapt over timeWhy only about 20% of patients respond to immuno-oncology therapiesThe role of biomarkers, molecular profiling, and precision medicineWhy early detection remains one of the biggest unsolved challengesThe economic and regulatory pressures shaping next-generation therapiesKey InsightCancer is not simply something to eliminate.It is a dynamic, adaptive system evolving within the human body. The future of oncology is not just eradication, but control, personalization, and intelligent engagement of the immune system.Notable Quotes“Cancer is a collection of more than 200 diseases, each requiring its own specific approach.”“The cure for some cancers is within reach, but for many others, early detection remains the critical challenge.”“Our immune system is constantly surveilling. The key is learning how to harness it effectively.”Timestamps00:00 – Introduction02:42 – Bob’s passion - AACR04:28 – Why we haven’t cured cancer07:09 – Defining a cancer cure10:26 – Cancer classification and molecular signatures14:16 – Methylation profiling in diagnosis17:22 – Patient resources and navigation21:14 – FDA shifts toward randomized trials for CAR-T24:15 – Cost and access challenges26:33 – Cancer vs cardiovascular disease progress33:39 – The challenge of early detection37:48 – Biomarker limitations39:14 – Immune system dynamics in cancer45:19 – Bioanalytical challenges in modern therapies51:08 – Progress and future outlookAbout the GuestDr. Bob Liu is a Senior Principal Scientist at Genentech Roche specializing in bioanalytical sciences and immunogenicity assessment for advanced oncology therapies, including T-cell bispecifics and CAR-T.Resources & LinksFDA to tighten approval requirements for CAR-T therapieshttps://www.raps.org/news-and-articles/news-articles/2025/12/fda-to-tighten-approval-requirements-for-car-t-celAmerican Association for Cancer Research (AACR)https://www.aacr.org/National Cancer Institute – Molecular diagnostics and biomarkershttps://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/diagnosisPattern recognition technologies in diagnosticshttps://toby.healthConnectDr. Bob Liuhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-liu-42b8b278/Dr. Chad Briscoehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/chadbriscoe/Gregory Austinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryaustin1/Final ThoughtThe path to curing cancer is not a single breakthrough. It is a long, complex progression of scientific advances, better diagnostics, and deeper biological understanding.The progress is real.But the work is far from finished.