Chemotherapy-free cancer treatment - not for everyone yet

Cytotoxic chemotherapy (CC) has long been the cornerstone of treatment in oncology, but primary resistance, the emergence of secondary resistance, and toxicity remain significant challenges. We explore how precision oncology aims to replace conventional chemotherapy through its enhanced antitumoral activity and reduced toxicity. We highlight significant progress in this area and emphasize recent clinical trials where targeted therapies and immunotherapy have yielded superior outcomes. Despite significant advances in cancer understanding and molecular profiling, in the coming years CC will likely remain a standard treatment for diseases that are not accessible to precision oncology or immunotherapy, as a rescue treatment for many cancers, or in combinations with new agents.