What is Targeted Therapy?

Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to specifically target and attack cancer cells while minimizing damage to normal, healthy cells. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which affects rapidly dividing cells indiscriminately, targeted therapy works by exploiting specific molecular or genetic abnormalities that are characteristic of cancer cells.

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Targeted therapy drugs are designed to interfere with specific molecules or pathways that play a critical role in cancer cell growth, proliferation, survival, or spread. By blocking these targets, targeted therapy can disrupt the signaling pathways that drive cancer growth and survival, ultimately leading to the death of cancer cells or inhibiting their ability to grow and spread.

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There are several different types of targeted therapy approaches, including:

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1. Small molecule inhibitors: These drugs are small molecules that can penetrate cells and interfere with specific proteins or enzymes involved in cancer cell growth and survival. Examples include tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which block the activity of tyrosine kinases, a type of enzyme often overactive in cancer cells.

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2. Monoclonal antibodies: Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that can bind to specific targets on cancer cells, triggering an immune response against the cancer. Some monoclonal antibodies work by tagging cancer cells for destruction by the immune system, while others block signals that promote cancer cell growth and survival.

3. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs): ADCs are monoclonal antibodies that are attached to chemotherapy drugs or other cytotoxic agents. They target cancer cells specifically and deliver the cytotoxic payload directly to the cancer cells, reducing the exposure of normal cells to chemotherapy drugs and potentially minimizing side effects.

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4. Immune checkpoint inhibitors: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy that works by blocking immune checkpoint proteins, such as PD-1 or CTLA-4, which cancer cells can exploit to evade detection by the immune system. By blocking these checkpoints, immune checkpoint inhibitors enable the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.