[New frontiers in cancer treatment]

Recenti Prog Med. 2006 Dec;97(12):781-6.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

The knowledge acquired in the past few years on the regulatory mechanisms of cancer growth and spreading have started to be translated in the development of a new therapeutic modality directed against previously defined molecular targets, now defined as "target therapy", thus introducing a truly revolutionary concept in the anticancer therapeutic strategies. The novel molecular targeted drugs are usually integrated in therapeutic regimens that combine such novel agents with the conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and several studies have now demonstrated their efficacy in the clinical practice. The future goal of cancer therapy will be the tailoring of treatments based on the specific molecular features of the tumor of each patient, with the aim to obtain the maximum therapeutic efficacy with the lowest toxicity.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Forecasting
  • Genes, erbB / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Protease Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors