Targeted Therapies for Colorectal Cancer
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Cyndy King, PhD, NP, FAAN
Because
chemotherapy drugs must be given systemically and can thus harm healthy as well as cancer cells, they tend to cause a wide variety of side effects and are not very specific. More recently, researchers have developed
targeted therapies or
biologic agents. These have been developed in the hope of stopping tumor growth while sparing normal healthy cells and body functions.
These new therapies have been developed to target specific characteristics such as the tumor blood supply or overexpression of receptors of signaling proteins. Two targets that have been identified to use with metastatic
colorectal cancer are epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) .
Although these new therapies are "targeted" it does not mean there are NO side effects. They may have fewer side effects and fewer severe side effects than chemotherapy. For instance patients may experience some of the following side effects: nosebleeds, hypertension (high blood pressure), proteinuria (too much protein in the urine). Additional side effects might include weakness, pain, diarrhea, rash and leukopenia (a reduced white blood cell count).
Several of these new targeted therapies include:
These new targeted therapies are just one potential option for colorectal cancer. Your physician will discuss with you whether you will have just one therapy (like surgery) or a combination of therapies. But, it is helpful to know there a new therapies being developed every day.
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1 Comments:
At Mon Apr 30, 11:55:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
Just hoping tat someone can help me with infor on avastin and protein uria.
I have been on tihs for 2 yrs now and have been stopped because the
protein in my urin is too high to administer more of te drug.
I do not want to stop avastin as it has really stabilized my cancer.
Is there a medication and or a diet to elp lower protein in urine
levels??
Would really like to know.
Thanks
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