Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy is cancer treatment that acts on specific molecules or genetic changes that help a tumor grow, rather than attacking all fast-dividing cells the way standard chemotherapy does. It requires knowing something about the tumor's biology, often through genetic testing. In mesothelioma, targeted therapy is still mostly investigational and given through clinical trials.

Origin

The approach grew from late 20th-century molecular biology that identified specific drivers of cancer growth. The term became common in oncology in the 2000s as drugs aimed at particular genes and proteins entered use for cancers like leukemia, breast, and lung cancer.

Significance in Asbestos Context

For mesothelioma patients, targeted therapy is a developing area, because researchers have identified molecular features in some mesotheliomas, such as loss of the BAP1 or NF2 genes, that drug developers are trying to exploit. Most targeted options for mesothelioma are available through clinical trials rather than as standard care, so access often means enrolling in a study. Genetic or molecular testing of the tumor can show whether a particular targeted approach might fit. Ask your oncologist whether tumor molecular profiling is worthwhile and whether any targeted-therapy trials are open for your case.

Example Sentence

After molecular testing showed a BAP1 change, his oncologist looked for a clinical trial of a targeted therapy aimed at that alteration.

Related Terms

Immunotherapy, Clinical Trial, BAP1, Chemotherapy, Molecular Profiling, Precision Medicine

Notes

• Ask whether molecular or genetic profiling of your tumor could open targeted-therapy options.
• Most targeted therapies for mesothelioma are trial-based, so ask a specialty center about open studies.
• Keep records of any tumor genetic testing; results guide treatment and may matter over the course of your care.