Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy is a *type of cancer treatment*—not a specific molecular entity—that uses drugs to target specific molecules (such as mutated proteins or genes) involved in cancer cell growth, survival, or spread[1][2][5][7]. It differs from chemotherapy by focusing on precise molecular abnormalities found in certain cancer cells, aiming to block signals or functions necessary for tumor growth, sometimes sparing normal cells[1][2][7]. Major classes of drugs used in targeted therapy include monoclonal antibodies and small-molecule inhibitors, each directed against specific cancer-related molecular targets[5][7]. Suitability and effectiveness of a targeted therapy depend entirely on the presence and role of the underlying molecular abnormality in a patient’s tumor, which is identified by biomarker testing[2][3].

Other names

Molecularly targeted therapyPrecision medicine (as a therapy type, not a molecule)