Targeted Cancer Drugs

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: HEALTH

What are targeted cancer drugs?

These drugs work by ‘targeting’ those differences that help a cancer cell to survive and grow. They are one of the main treatments for some cancers like advanced melanoma and some types of leukaemia.
Different types of targeted drugs are-
- Monoclonal antibodies ( it is a type of immunotherapy that trigger the immune system to attack and kill cancer cells),
- Cancer growth blockers,
- Drugs that block cancer blood vessel growth and
- PARP inhibitors (poly-ADP ribose polymerasea is a protein (enzyme) found in our cells. It helps damaged cells to repair themselves.)
Targeted drugs are not suitable for all types of cancers.
Targeted therapy depends on:
- The type of cancer one have
- How far one’s cancer has spread (the stage)
- Other cancer treatments one’ve had

Testing:

It is done to find out whether the treatment is likely to work. These tests look for changes in certain proteins or genes.

How do they work?

Cancer cells have changes in their genes (DNA) that make them different from normal cells.
- The changes that make a lung cancer grow can be different to ones that make a breast cancer grow. And the changes in the genes of one person who has lung cancer might be different to the changes in someone else with lung cancer.
Targeted cancer drugs work by ‘targeting’ those differences that a cancer cell has.
Targeted drugs might:
- stop cancer cells from dividing and growing
- seek out cancer cells and kill them
- encourage the immune system to attack cancer cells
- stop cancers from growing blood vessels
- help carry other treatments such as chemotherapy, directly to the cancer cells

Source: CR