Oral cavity cancer treatment with targeted therapy

Targeted therapy for oral cavity cancer uses drugs targeting the genes and proteins of tumor cells that help them live longer and spread. This therapy treats mouth cancer by:Stop cell growth. Healthy ones usually divide only when they receive signals to do this. Cancer cells have protein changes that tell them to divide regardless of signs. Drugs affect these proteins, preventing cells from dividing. Stop signals to form blood vessels. Tumors must form new blood vessels to grow. Some medications prevent the formation of blood supply. As a result, tumors decrease in size. Deliver killing substances to cancer. For example, some drugs are combined with toxins, chemo drugs, and radiation. Once these are attached to targets on the surface of cancer cells, they absorb the substances that destroy them. Not all tumors have the same targets. Therefore, an oncologist can conduct genetic tests to identify proteins and other factors in your tumor to find the most effective treatment. For example, Cetuximab (Erbitux) was the first targeted drug approved to treat oral cavity cancer. It binds to malignant cells in the oral cavity, preventing their growth and spread. You can receive Cetuximab through a vein once a week for several weeks. Then, it can be prescribed together with radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The rest period between cycles allows your body to recover and build new healthy cells.