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The Evolving Landscape of Cancer Therapeutics

Madeha Khan1, James Spicer2

  • 1Guy's Hospital , London, UK.

Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
|December 4, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Cancer treatment has evolved significantly over 100 years, with targeted therapies and immunotherapies offering improved outcomes. Biomarker-guided patient selection is crucial for optimizing efficacy and cost-effectiveness in modern cancer care.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Therapeutics
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Cancer treatment has undergone significant evolution over the past century.
  • Traditional cytotoxic agents are being complemented by more targeted approaches.
  • Advances in understanding cancer biology have driven the development of novel therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the advancements in cancer treatment over the last 100 years.
  • To highlight the role of targeted therapies and immunotherapies.
  • To emphasize the importance of biomarkers in optimizing cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of historical and recent developments in cancer therapeutics.
  • Analysis of the impact of small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies.
  • Discussion of immune checkpoint inhibitors and their mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Targeted therapies, including small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, offer improved specificity and therapeutic ratios.
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a significant advancement in modulating immune responses against cancer.
  • Biomarker-driven patient selection is essential for maximizing treatment efficacy and cost-effectiveness.

Conclusions:

  • The future of cancer treatment involves a combination of cytotoxic agents, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy.
  • Personalized medicine approaches, guided by biomarkers, are key to advancing cancer care.
  • Continued research into cancer biology will likely yield further therapeutic innovations.
Keywords:
Checkpoint inhibitionCytotoxicDrug resistanceImmunotherapyMonoclonal antibodyOncogeneSignallingTyrosine kinase

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