Abstract
Targeted cancer therapies are drugs or other substances that block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules ("molecular targets") that are involved in the growth, progression, and spread of cancer. Targeted cancer therapies are sometimes called "molecularly targeted therapies".
Targeted drugs work differently from standard chemotherapy. It is a type of treatment that uses drugs to attack cancer cells with EGFR or ALK gene changes (EGFR and ALK inhibitors) or block new blood tumour vessel growth (angiogenesis inhibitors).
At present, target therapy is part of the routine management for patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially in advanced stages.