Targeted therapies for cancer

Targeted therapy uses medicines to stop cancer from growing and spreading. It does this with less harm to normal cells than other treatments.

Standard chemotherapy works by killings cancer cells and some normal cells, targeted treatment zeroes in on specific targets (molecules) in or on cancer cells. These targets play a role in how cancer cells grow and survive. Using these targets, the medicine disables the cancer cells so they cannot spread.

Targeted therapy medicines work in a few different ways. They may:

People with the same type of cancer may have different targets in their cancer cells. So, if your cancer does not have a specific target, the medicine will not work to stop it. Not all therapies work for all people with cancer. At the same time, different cancers may have the same target.

To see if a targeted therapy might work for you, your health care provider may:

Some targeted therapies are given as pills. Others are injected into a vein (intravenous, or IV).

Targeted therapies can treat most types of cancers.

Your health care provider will decide whether targeted therapies may be an option for your type of cancer. You may receive targeted therapy along with surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or radiation therapy. You may receive these medicines as part of your regular treatment, or as part of a clinical trial.

Providers thought that targeted therapies might have fewer side effects than other cancer treatments. But that turned out to be untrue. Possible side effects from targeted therapies include:

As with any treatment, you may or may not have side effects. They may be mild or severe. Fortunately, they usually go away after treatment ends. It is a good idea to talk with your provider about what to expect. Your provider may be able to help prevent or lessen some side effects.

Targeted therapies are promising new treatments, but they have limitations.

Do KT, Kummar S. Therapeutic targeting of cancer cells: era of molecularly targeted agents. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 26.

National Cancer Institute website. Targeted cancer therapies. www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/targeted-therapies/targeted-therapies-fact-sheet. Updated May 31, 2022. Accessed March 19, 2024.



Review Date: 12/31/2023
Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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