How exactly does targeted therapy work?

Written by:

Professor Hany Eldeeb

Clinical oncologist

Published: 02/05/2023
Edited by: Conor Lynch

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In this article below, esteemed consultant medical and clinical oncologist, Professor Hany Eldeeb, provides us with an insightful guide on targeted therapy. 

What is targeted therapy?

Targeted therapy is a newer, more precise type of therapy that attacks cancer cells. It is a type of personalised medical therapy designed to treat cancer by interrupting unique molecular abnormalities that drive cancer growth. 

 

The drugs used in targeted therapy are designed to interfere with a specific biochemical pathway central to the development, growth, and spread of that particular cancer.

 

What types of cancer are treated with targeted therapy? 

These drugs are now a component of therapy for many common malignancies, including breast, colorectal, lung, and pancreatic cancers, as well as lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. 

 

What happens during targeted therapy?

The action of targeted drugs can work to: 
 

Block or turn off chemical signals that tell the cancer cell to grow and divide Change proteins within the cancer cells so the cells die Stop making new blood vessels to feed the cancer cells Trigger your immune system to kill the cancer cells Carry toxins to the cancer cells to kill them, but not normal cells

 

What are the benefits of targeted therapy?

Target therapy is intended to kill cancer cells with as minimal an effect as possible on normal cells. Target therapy prolongs life considerably more when compared to empirical treatment, but this is only the case when there is a known specific target. 

 

 

Professor Hany Eldeeb is a highly proficient consultant medical and clinical oncologist who specialises in targeted therapy. If you have been diagnosed with cancer and are considering undergoing targeted therapy, make sure you contact Professor Eldeeb today to schedule in an appointment. You can do just that by visiting his Top Doctors profile.