Cancer Diagnosis
When you receive your cancer diagnosis, it can be an overwhelming time. You’ll want to do everything you can to get rid of cancer, which means getting the right drugs at the right time. Here are five ways to ensure you get the best treatment possible, getting the right drugs the first time in cancer treatment!
Why getting the right drugs means more effective treatments
Getting the right drugs the first time is vital for successful cancer treatment. We know that not all cancer treatments work for everyone, and it’s essential to be able to try different medications until we find one that works. This also means we need to be able to monitor our health as time goes on and make adjustments as necessary. The goal of cancer treatment is to shrink tumors and keep them from spreading, and this can’t happen when you’re taking medicines that don’t work or aren’t good for you. For example, some people might react if given a specific type of chemotherapy drug, so they would need to switch medication before their body begins to experience side effects like nausea or hair loss.
What are targeted therapies?
Targeted therapies are small molecule drugs targeting cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy cells. They’re usually more expensive than standard chemotherapeutic treatments. They sometimes need to be taken for years, but they can produce better results by allowing your body’s immune system to do more of the work. Targeted therapies preserve healthy cells. The success rate is as high as 90% because targeted therapies attack only certain tumor types. It reduces off-target effects or unwanted side effects such as hair loss or damage to internal organs.
How targeted therapies can help cancer patients
Targeted therapies are an essential part of successful cancer treatment. They work by targeting specific genetic mutations that can trigger cancer. Drugs and vaccines have helped people with common cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, live long lives since they prevent or delay tumor growth.
Targeted therapies for rare cancers, like therapy for acute myeloid leukemia help stop blood cells from forming leukemia cells. It also helps with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) which targets cell signals that lead to inflammation. Another form is immunotherapy, which works by training your body’s immune system to fight against cancer cells.
How targeted therapies change the lives of cancer patients
Targeted therapies are a significant breakthrough in cancer treatment. In only a few years several drugs have been identified which have proven successful in targeting cancer cells. For example, GlaxoSmithKline’s Avastin targets blood vessel cells to stop them from feeding tumors and enable successful cancer treatment. Another targeted therapy, Herceptin, blocks HER2-positive breast cancers from growing and spreading throughout the body.
Where to find more information about targeted therapies
Targeted therapies are the future. Because these medicines target specific features of cancer cells, they don’t affect healthy cells as other chemotherapies can. Contact a pharmacy specialist today to learn more about targeted therapies and how they can help improve successful cancer treatment.
Treat Cancer Now focuses all efforts on Targeted therapy to ensure better results in cancer treatment. Reach out to our specialists to book an appointment to discuss and know further how we can help you.