What is targeted therapy?
Targeted cancer therapies consist of a series of drugs and substances that have the ability to block both the growth and spread of cancer. They work by interfering with specific molecules involved in the growth, progression and spread of cancer.
These therapies differ from chemotherapy in several ways:
- Chemotherapy acts on all cells. Targeted therapies act on molecules specifically associated with cancer.
- The therapies are chosen because they act directly on the intended target, whereas chemotherapy destroys cells.
- Targeted therapy is cytostatic, i.e. it blocks the growth of tumor cells. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, destroys cells.
It can be said that there are two types of targeted therapy:
- Monoclonal antibodies, which block the specific target on the outside of the cells or around the cancer.
- Small molecule drugs: these are drugs that block the process that helps cancer cells to spread and multiply.
Why is targeted therapy performed?
Targeted therapy is a drug-based cancer treatment that differs from chemotherapy in that it attacks specific targets.
There are numerous targeted therapies available for use against cancer:
- Hormonal therapies
- Signal transduction inhibitors
- Gene expression modulators
- Apoptosis inducers
- Angiogenesis inhibitors
- Immunotherapy
- Monoclonal antibodies
Some examples would be:
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Lung cancer
- Melanoma
Targeted therapy is an alternative to chemotherapy.
What is targeted therapy?
All tissues in the body are made up of cells, and each cell is different, such as skin cells, blood cells or brain cells, and each cell has a specific function. Cancer as such begins when specific genes in the cells change.
The genes signal the cells how to produce the proteins that keep the cell functioning. If the genes change, the proteins change too, mutating the cells.
If the genes change, the proteins change, too, causing the cells to divide abnormally and grow out of control. The cells eventually form a tumor.
Targeted therapies act on these changes and do the following:
- Block and/or turn off signals that cause cancer cells to divide.
- Prevent the cells from extending their lifespan
- Kill the cancer cells
Prepare for targeted therapy
Targeted therapy is a treatment in development that can kill a number of tumors, but sometimes needs to be combined with other treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
It is common for comprehensive analyses to be carried out to identify and understand the patient’s genes, proteins and overall tumor status in order to find the therapy that best suits the patient’s needs. However, targeted therapy may not work for some people.
Care after the procedure
Targeted therapy should be administered with caution, as it can cause different side effects. Liver problems such as hepatitis or a high level of liver enzymes are common, as are digestive problems such as diarrhea. Other problems or side effects are:
- Skin problems.
- Blood clotting problems
- High blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal perforation
Alternatives to this treatment
Targeted therapy was born as such as an alternative to radiotherapy and chemotherapy as the main treatment to palliate tumor growth and the possible symptoms of cancer.