In general, the success of cancer treatment was associated with surgery, because this is what allows you to remove the tumor. But the oncology process is very common, so surgical techniques can not always destroy all metastases.
What is targeted therapy?
Recently, more attention is paid to the development of pharmacology and biotechnology, because it is with their help that a patient can forever forget about a tumor. One of the newest technologies in the field of oncology is targeted therapy. The treatment of cancer by this method is based on the principles of the targeted effect of medical preparations on the basic molecular mechanisms that provoke the appearance of ailment. A specific molecule, which is associated with the growth of tumor cells, is blocked during targeted therapy. Therefore, metastases in the lungs, kidneys, mammary glands and other organs are suppressed and not only do not progress, but are completely destroyed.
Target therapy is fundamentally different from other surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy , as it causes the death of exclusively tumor cells. It practically does not have a negative impact on the healthy tissues of the human body, that is, it does not cause side effects. This allows you to resort to her help, even in those cases when chemotherapy is contraindicated, for example, if the patient is in a very serious condition.
When are targeted drugs used?
Target therapy can be done if you have:
- colorectal cancer;
- breast cancer;
- kidney cancer;
- lung cancer .
This method is also used to treat many other types of cancer. He helps:
- to stabilize malignant process;
- transfer the malignant process from the active development stage to the chronic one;
- to reduce the radiation load and the dose of chemotherapy;
- prevent the occurrence of recurrence of cancer after completion of treatment by other methods;
- to control the growth of cancer metastases.
What drugs are used for targeted therapy?
By the nature of the effect, drugs for targeted cancer therapy are divided into three classes:
- Monoclonal antibodies are antigens-oncogenes that bind to oncogenes and in a short time suppress their activity.
- Kinase inhibitors are low molecular compounds that decrease the activity of oncogenes that affect the uncontrolled division of cancer cells.
- Activators are stimulators of necrosis, differentiation or apoptosis.
The most effective agents of targeted therapy are:
- Imatinib;
- Avastin;
- Herceptin;
- Rituximab.
Avastin
This medicine best eliminates the growth of the vessels of the tumor. It gives a noticeable reduction in the vascular network already at the first stage of therapy. This medicine reduces the blood filling of the sugars, which slows the growth of cancer. Target therapy with Avastin allows to defeat breast cancer, colon and even glioblastoma of the brain.
Tarceva
The agent is considered the most popular targeted drug. It lowers, and in some cases completely blocks, the growth of the tumor, eliminates the symptoms of the disease and facilitates the well-being of the patients. Currently, targeted therapy with this drug gives a positive result for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer
Iressa
This drug, which is most often used in the treatment of chemotherapy for lung cancer. But with its help you can reduce the size of the tumor and with other types of cancer. An excellent result is the combination of this medication with standard antitumor drugs. Istria's targeted therapy is also prescribed for kidney or lung cancer to relieve the condition of the patient to whom chemotherapy has not given a positive result.