Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy uses medicines that act on particular proteins or signals involved in cancer growth. Instead of treating all fast-dividing cells in the same way, these treatments are chosen because the cancer has features that may respond to a more specific treatment approach.

Some targeted therapies are tablets or capsules, while others are given by infusion. The right medicine depends on the diagnosis and whether the tumor has a target that can be treated.

Targeted therapy works by interfering with proteins or signals that cancer cells rely on to grow, divide, repair damage, or form new blood vessels. Different targeted medicines work in different ways, so the treatment plan depends on the biology of the individual cancer.

In some cases, this means biomarker or molecular testing is an important part of deciding whether targeted therapy is reasonable to consider.

Chemotherapy generally affects fast-dividing cells throughout the body, while targeted therapy is chosen to act on specific cancer-related pathways or molecular changes. This difference can influence when the treatment is used, what side effects may happen, and how the team monitors safety.

That does not mean targeted therapy is automatically easier or suitable for everyone. Some targeted medicines can still cause significant side effects and require close follow-up.

Targeted therapy may be used when testing or pathology suggests that a cancer has features that are likely to respond to a specific medicine. It may be considered in advanced disease, recurrent disease, maintenance settings, or in combination with other treatments depending on the diagnosis.

The timing depends on the cancer type, treatment history, scan findings, symptoms, and the overall goal of care. Read about PARP inhibitor maintenance in ovarian cancer.

The main uses in women’s cancers:

• PARP inhibitors (olaparib, niraparib, rucaparib) — tablets taken at home as maintenance after a good response to chemotherapy for advanced ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer. The benefit is greatest when the cancer has a BRCA gene change or is HRD-positive. They are taken for a set period, often up to 2 years or longer depending on the medicine.
• Bevacizumab — a drip that cuts off the blood supply cancers need; used with chemotherapy and then as maintenance in selected advanced ovarian cancers, and with chemotherapy in some advanced or recurrent cervical cancers.
• Other targeted medicines — used in selected womb (uterine) cancers, sometimes alongside immunotherapy, depending on tumour tests.

Which medicines are approved and available can change, and can differ in India, so your team will confirm what applies to you. Specialist review is important before concluding that targeted therapy belongs in the treatment plan.

Treatment planning may include pathology review, biomarker testing, scan findings, prior treatment history, and the patient’s general health. The team also considers how the treatment will be given, what monitoring is needed, and whether other medicines may affect safety.

Some targeted therapies are taken every day, while others are given on a schedule in the clinic. The plan depends on the specific drug and the goals of treatment. Targeted medicines are always part of the broader ovarian cancer treatment plan, not a replacement for it.

Patients may have regular clinic visits, blood tests, and imaging while on targeted therapy. Some people continue many day-to-day activities, while others need closer follow-up or dose adjustments because of side effects.

Knowing how and when to report symptoms is an important part of safe treatment, especially when therapy continues over a longer period.

Side effects vary by the medicine:

• PARP inhibitors — tiredness, nausea and low blood counts (especially anaemia); blood tests are checked regularly, and the dose can be adjusted.
• Bevacizumab — higher blood pressure, protein in the urine and slower wound healing; rarely, bleeding, clots or a bowel problem.

Because side effects differ between treatments, patients should not assume that every targeted drug has the same risk profile. The treating team explains what to watch for based on the planned medicine.

Monitoring may include blood tests, blood pressure checks, symptom review, and scans to assess response. Patients should contact the team promptly for severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, sudden shortness of breath, chest symptoms, jaundice, significant bleeding, uncontrolled blood pressure, or any sudden worsening in their general condition.

It is also important to mention other medicines, supplements, and any planned procedures because these can affect how treatment is given safely.

Follow-up helps the team review whether the cancer is responding, whether side effects are manageable, and whether treatment should continue, pause, or change. Some patients may move to another medicine, combination treatment, or observation depending on how the disease behaves over time.

Specialist-led care matters because targeted therapy depends on more than the treatment name alone. It requires careful matching between the cancer, its biomarkers, the patient’s health, and the expected balance of benefit and safety.