Targeted therapy in cancer

Chemotherapy is an essential part of treatment of various cancers. It can be used to improve the quality of life as palliative treatment or can be used prior to other modes of treatment (neoadjuvant therapy) or to destroy remaining cancer cells after other modes of treatment (adjuvant therapy). Details of chemotherapy, its mode of delivery, side effects etc is given at Chemotherapy in Cancer Patients.

In the recent approach to treat cancer target therapy and hormonal therapy has been a boon. Though the cost of treatment is prohibitive for common people but there are several patient benefit schemes.

What is targeted therapy for cancer

Targeted therapy for cancer is an approach where the molecular defect of a particular type of cancer is detected and targeted with sophisticated molecules in order to eradicate the disease from the grassroot level. The targeted therapeutic agents interfere with specific molecules involved in carcinogenesis and tumor growth.

How targeted therapy in a cancer works

The targeted therapy agents are generally administered orally or as an injection. They are organ specific and target on protiens of the cancer cells which are involved in the signaling process. Thus interference in the signaling process hampers further growth and multiplication of cancer cells. As the targeted therapy is organ specific, the side effects are much less than normal chemotherapy.

Types of targeted therapy of cancer

There has been lots of clinical trials to test new treatment options for patients suffering from cancer. A few trials came with some types of targeted therapy which are

Apoptosis-inducing drugs

These drugs enhances the apoptosis or cell death of the cancer cells. One of the example is Velcade (bortezomib) which causes destruction of cancer cells by blocking enzymes called proteasomes, which help to regulate cell function and growth of those cells. Velcade has been successfully used in treatment of multiple myeloma. Another example is Genasense (oblimersen), which blocks the production of a protein known as BCL–2, which promotes the survival of tumor cells. This drug has been successfully tried in various leukemia, lymphomas and other solid tumors.

Small-molecule drugs

These drugs act on specific enzymes used by cancer cells for their growth. Gleevec (Imatinib mesylate) is an example which acts by targeting abnormal proteins, or enzymes, formed within the cancer cells and stimulate uncontrolled growth. Gleevac has been successful in treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and certain gastrointestinal cancers. Another drug Iressa (Gefitinib) has been successfully used in small cell cancer of the lungs which is very much sensitive to chemotherapy. Iressa acts by destroying or inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptors.

Many more researches are going on and newer options in the form of gene therapy, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines are being tried. The goal of this trials are obviously to treat cancer and eradicate from grassroot level.