Goal of Targeted Therapy for ... Health Article

Targeted cancer treatment uses drugs. They target the specific molecules that let cancer grow and spread. Because of their focus on the specific part of the cancer cell that is causing the problem, they may cause less harm to normal cells than other kinds of treatment. That may mean they don’t cause as many side effects. Treatment for cancer with fewer side effects can lead to an improved quality of life.

For lung cancer, the drugs used for targeted therapy aim for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Many types of cancer cells make too many of these growth factor receptors. The drugs that are used to target these receptors are called small-molecule drugs. They are also called signal-transduction inhibitors.