Targeted therapy for cancer

Targeted cancer therapies involve chemotherapeutic agents that attack, directly or indirectly, a specific genetic biomarker found in a given cancer. Targeted oncology includes monoclonal antibodies, small molecule inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and immunotherapy. For example, the monoclonal antibodies trastuzumab and pertuzumab target human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and are used when treating HER2-positive breast cancer. Although targeted oncology has improved survival by years for some incurable cancers such as metastatic breast and lung cancer, as few as 8% of patients with advanced cancer qualify for targeted oncology medications, and even fewer benefit. Other limitations include serious adverse events, illustrated by a 20% to 30% rate of heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular events among patients taking ponatinib, which is used in treating chronic myelogenous leukemia. Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy–related adverse effects such as hypothyroidism are common, and more severe adverse events such as colitis and pneumonitis can be fatal and require immediate intervention. Drug interactions with widely prescribed medications such as antacids and warfarin are common. Additionally, financial toxicities are a problem for patients with cancer who are using costly targeted therapies. Future directions for targeted oncology include tumor-agnostic drugs, which target a given mutation and could be used in treating cancers from multiple organ types....

The information below describes what you might expect when getting targeted therapy.There are also other drugs that are used to treat cancer in different ways, including Getting IV Targeted Therapy Some targeted therapies are given as an infusion. Intravenous or IV chemo is put right into your bloodstream through a tiny, soft, plastic tube called a catheter. A needle is used to put the catheter into a vein in your forearm or hand; then the needle is taken out, leaving the catheter behind. Some patients may have a Intravenous drugs are given in these ways: • IV push:the drugs can be given quickly through the catheter right from a syringe over a few minutes. • IV infusion :a typical infusion can last from a few minutes to a few hours. A mixed drug solution flows from a plastic bag through tubing that’s attached to the catheter. The flow is usually controlled by a machine called an IV pump. Getting Oral Targeted Therapy If a targeted therapy drug is taken by mouth, you swallow the pill, capsule, or liquid just like other medicines. Oral targeted therapy is usually taken at home. Because of this, it’s very important to make sure you know exactly how it should be taken. If you and your doctor have decided oral chemo is the best treatment option for you, be sure to ask questions and get instructions about: • How and when to take it.You should have clear instructions on how much and when to take your treatment. You need to take the exact dosage, at the exact right time, for exact...

Targeted therapy is cancer treatment that targets the genetic changes or mutations that turn healthy cells into cancer cells. Targeted therapy helps healthcare providers treat cancer cells without hurting healthy cells. Healthcare providers sometimes use targeted therapy as the front line or initial treatment. They may also combine targeted therapy with other treatments. Overview What is targeted therapy? Targeted therapy is a kind of cancer treatment that’s focused on genetic changes or mutations that turn healthy cells into cancer cells. To use targeted therapy, healthcare providers test for the genetic changes responsible for helping cancer cells grow and survive. Then, they identify specific treatments to kill those cells or keep them from growing. Targeted therapy helps healthcare providers treat cancer cells without hurting healthy cells. Healthcare providers have developed more than 80 targeted therapies to treat many kinds of cancer. Sometimes, they use targeted therapy as the front line or initial treatment. They may also combine targeted therapy with other treatments. How does targeted therapy work? Once healthcare providers understand the genetic mutation changing a healthy cell into a cancer cell, they identify specific cancer cell parts to target for treatment. Sometimes, these are targets on cancer cells surfaces. Other times, the targets are substances inside cancer cells. Here’s information on the two most common kinds of targeted therapies and how they tac...

Since the initial clinical approval in the late 1990s and remarkable anticancer effects for certain types of cancer, molecular targeted therapy utilizing small molecule agents or therapeutic monoclonal antibodies acting as signal transduction inhibitors has served as a fundamental backbone in precision medicine for cancer treatment. These approaches are now used clinically as first-line therapy for various types of human cancers. Compared to conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapeutic agents have efficient anticancer effects with fewer side effects. However, the emergence of drug resistance is a major drawback of molecular targeted therapy, and several strategies have been attempted to improve therapeutic efficacy by overcoming such resistance. Herein, we summarize current knowledge regarding several targeted therapeutic agents, including classification, a brief biology of target kinases, mechanisms of action, examples of clinically used targeted therapy, and perspectives for future development. Cancer is one of the main causes of disease-related death worldwide. According to Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) estimates of cancer incidence and mortality, there were approximately 19.3 million new cancer cases and almost 10.0 million cancer deaths in 2020 globally Several therapeutic modalities, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and systemic anticancer therapy, have been applied clinically for cancer treatment, either alone, in combination, or sequentially, depending...