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Boehringer Ingelheim
1. WHAT ARE TARGETED THERAPIES?
The emergence of effective cancer chemotherapy is one of the major medical advances of the second half of the 20th century. In certain cancers, such as childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and subgroups of Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, chemotherapy is often curative; and the promise of long-term survival makes therapy well worth the risk of adverse effects. However, traditional chemotherapy is indiscriminate and will affect not only the rapidly proliferating cancer cells but also normal healthy cells. These ‘toxic’ chemotherapeutic agents are being supplemented by a new generation of therapies that recognise specific targets in or on cancer cells. These targeted therapies hold the promise of improved efficacy and fewer side effects.
The term ‘targeted therapies’ refers to a group of agents that includes:
2. HOW DO TARGETED THERAPIES WORK?
Targeted cancer therapies interfere with cancer cell growth and division in different ways and at various points during the development, growth and spread of cancer. Rather than having broad cytotoxic effects, many of these therapies focus on specific proteins that are involved in signalling processes. By blocking the signals that tell cancer cells to grow and divide uncontrollably, targeted cancer therapies can help to stop the growth and division of cancer cells.
Source for healthcare professionals: www.inoncology.com
* Nintedanib (BIBF 1120), afatinib (BIBW 2992) and volasertib (BI 6727) are investigational compounds. Their safety and efficacy have not yet been fully established.
