Doctors treating cancer usually use targeted drug therapy that targets or focuses on abnormal cells caused by genetic mutations. Using targeted therapy only unhealthy cells are treated without altering the composition and character of the healthy cells.
What Is Targeted Drug Therapy?
Targeted therapy is a form of treatment where drugs are administered to cells that have been damaged due to genetic mutations. The targeted therapy aims at finding the genetic changes that lead to the formation of cancerous cells.
The treatment aims to treat cancer cells without damaging the healthy cells. Specialists at one of the cancer hospital in Siliguri state that there are more than 80 targeted drug therapies to treat cancer today.
How Does Targeted Drug Therapy Work?
Under this treatment, the doctors target specific cancer regions in the body. The target is done either on the surface of the cancer cells or the substances inside the cancer cells. Two of the most common types of targeted therapies are:
Monoclonal Antibodies
These are artificial antibodies made in the lab and are similar to the antibodies found in the immune system. These antibodies target the antigens to get rid of the cancer cells.
Small-Molecule Drugs
These are specific drugs that stick to the cancer cells and curb their growth eventually killing the cancer cells.
Types Of Targeted Drug Therapies
Following are the targeted drug therapies that prevent cancer cells from growing, multiplying, and spreading to different regions of the body.
- Angiogenesis inhibitors
- Proteasome inhibitors
- Signal transduction inhibitors
Does Targeted Drug Therapy Treat All Types of Cancers?
With a wide variety of targeted therapies, doctors can attack different types of cell mutations causing the following types of cancers.
- Blood cancers
- Brain cancers
- Bone and soft tissue cancers like soft tissue sarcomas
- Breasts cancers
- Digestive system cancers
- Head and neck cancers
- Reproductive system cancers like cervical cancers
- Skin cancers
- Thyroid cancers
- Urinary system cancers
Are Targeted Drug Therapies Always Successful?
Targeted drug therapies are very challenging as it is difficult to find the targeted cancer cells. Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that targeted drug therapies are not always successful. Major reasons why targeted drug therapies may not work are:
- The targeted cells of the tumor do not match the targeted therapy
- The tumor does not respond to the cancer treatment
- The mutation of the cancer cells continues and the therapy isn’t effective
How Is Targeted Drug Therapy Administered?
Targeted Drug Therapies are given to cancer patients by cancer hospital in siliguri in the following ways:
- It may be given as a pill to swallow, as an IV injection, or as a shot under the skin
- Along with chemotherapy and radiation
- Every day, weekly, or monthly
- Therapy with regulated intervals
The biggest advantage of targeted drug therapy is that it treats cancer cells without damaging the healthy cells. Further, it checks the growth of cancer cells, often damaging and killing them. However, it has certain side effects like all advanced medical treatments, and isn't successful for all types of cancers. But with the advancement in medical science, targeted therapy is sure to expand and benefit cancer patients.
