Groups of drugs used in targeted therapy
Targated therapy drugs target specific molecules (e.g. proteins) insite cancer cells or on their surface. They are used to relieve symptoms, destroy tumors, or limit tumor growth.
Types include:
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Made in a lab, they target proteins on the cancer cell surface
- Also used in immunotherapy as they trigger the immune system to attack and destroy cancer cells
- Examples: Trastuzumab (binds to HER2 proteins e.g. breast, stomach and esophageal cancer), Bevacizumab (binds to VEGF proteins e.g. cervical, colorectal and ovarian cancers) and cetuximab (binds to EGFR proteins e.g. in some head and neck cancers)
- Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
- Inhibit cell division via tyrosine kinase pathway
- Examples: Imatinib (used to treat types of leukemia that have philadelphia chromosome and Gefitinib (treats non-small cell carcinoma, works on cells with epidermal growth factor receptor)
- Apoptosis-inducing drugs
- Drugs that help to restore non-functioning apoptotic signals
- Examples: Bortezomib (blocks certain proteasomes)
- Angiogenesis inhibitors
- Works by cutting off new vascular growth of tumors
- Examples: Bevacizumab (blocks VEGF, also monoclonal AB), Sunitinib (type of tyrosine kinase inhibitor)
- mTOR inhibitors
- Block a protein responsible for cell growth and division
- Hormonal therapies
- Prevent hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone from binding to their receptors, works in hormone dependent cancers (e.g. breast cancer, prostate cancer)