Targeted Therapies Treatment: Talk to us about becoming a patient Learn more
Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that targets a patient’s own specific type and stage of cancer. Targeted therapies concentrate on the difference between healthy cells and cancer cells, and interfere with the specific molecules in the cancer cells that tell them to grow and spread.
By attacking these molecules and the specific changes in the cancer cell, targeted therapies can block the abnormal progression of those cells causing the cancer.
The aim of targeted therapy is to only target and attack cancer cells. Chemotherapy kills all fast-growing cells, which makes it an effective form of treatment for fighting rapidly-dividing cancer cells, but it means the body’s fast-growing healthy cells are also killed or damaged.
Not all cancers respond to targeted therapies, and some of these therapies are only available in clinical trials. Targeted therapy may be used instead of, or in combination with, other treatments such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery.
Our mission is to deliver the best cancer care possible, as close to home as possible. Talk to our team at your nearest centre about being treated at Icon; we’re here to answer your questions.
Find out how to become a patient at Icon Cancer Centre, or request more information from your nearest centre.
Be more informed and have an active role in your care; download 'Questions to Ask Your Doctor After Cancer Diagnosis'.
At Icon, care is more than just a word. Our cancer care team are here to support you with compassion, knowledge and hope.
Our patients share their perspective and advice.