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Limitations of molecularly targeted therapy
Affiliations- Chair of Urology, Department of Tissue Engineering, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Karlowicza 24, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland
open access
Abstract
Personalized medicine is an extension of traditional medicine is based on a highly individual approach to each
patient. One of the most important tools that allow this approach is targeted therapy. It focuses mainly on
blocking cancer cell’s proliferation and angiogenesis capabilities by interfacing with specific molecules
that are involved in the growth and progression of the tumour. Small-molecule inhibitors and monoclonal
antibodies are the main drugs that are currently in use in order to affect the specific biochemical pathways
in cancer cells. However, likewise any other cancer therapies, targeted therapy has its own limitations. For
instance, identifying a molecular target needed to begin treatment is one of those hardships. A specific
molecule is crucial in this way of treatment. The other limitation is the toxicity that appears during the
treatment, the same as in the case of traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Furthermore, the cost
of this therapy is significantly higher compared to classical treatments. However, the main obstacles are
mechanisms of cancer drug resistance which are often developing in response to given drugs. In many
cases, it makes further treatment impossible. This article is focusing on the limitations of molecularly
targeted therapy.
Abstract
Personalized medicine is an extension of traditional medicine is based on a highly individual approach to each
patient. One of the most important tools that allow this approach is targeted therapy. It focuses mainly on
blocking cancer cell’s proliferation and angiogenesis capabilities by interfacing with specific molecules
that are involved in the growth and progression of the tumour. Small-molecule inhibitors and monoclonal
antibodies are the main drugs that are currently in use in order to affect the specific biochemical pathways
in cancer cells. However, likewise any other cancer therapies, targeted therapy has its own limitations. For
instance, identifying a molecular target needed to begin treatment is one of those hardships. A specific
molecule is crucial in this way of treatment. The other limitation is the toxicity that appears during the
treatment, the same as in the case of traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Furthermore, the cost
of this therapy is significantly higher compared to classical treatments. However, the main obstacles are
mechanisms of cancer drug resistance which are often developing in response to given drugs. In many
cases, it makes further treatment impossible. This article is focusing on the limitations of molecularly
targeted therapy.
Keywords
molecularly targeted therapy, anti-cancer drugs, cancer drug resistance, the toxicity of anti-cancer drugs
About this articleTitle
Limitations of molecularly targeted therapy
Journal
Issue
Article type
Review article
Pages
99-105
Published online
2019-03-19
Page views
3825
Article views/downloads
1528
DOI
Bibliographic record
Medical Research Journal 2019;4(2):99-105.
Keywords
molecularly targeted therapy
anti-cancer drugs
cancer drug resistance
the toxicity of anti-cancer drugs
Authors
Karolina Balik
Paulina Modrakowska
Małgorzata Maj
Łukasz Kaźmierski
Anna Bajek
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