Which Cancers Can Be Treated with — Targeted Therapy?

Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that works by blocking a specific protein or gene that a cancer cell depends on to grow and survive. Think of it as identifying the engine driving the cancer and then jamming that specific engine — rather than a broader approach that affects many types of cells at once. It only works when your tumour carries the molecular change the treatment is designed to block, which is why testing comes first.

No — these are two different treatments, though both are sometimes grouped together as modern cancer treatments. Targeted therapy acts directly on specific molecules inside or on the surface of cancer cells. Immunotherapy works by removing the brakes on your own immune system so it can recognise and attack cancer cells. Some people receive both as part of their treatment plan, but they are given for different reasons and determined by different biomarker tests.

The decision starts with biomarker testing of your tumour tissue, usually from the biopsy you have already had. The laboratory identifies specific molecular changes — mutations, gene fusions, or protein expression levels — that correspond to known treatment targets. Your oncologist then matches those results to treatments that work on that specific target. Because the same cancer type can carry different mutations in different people, two people with the same diagnosis may be offered very different treatments, or one may have no targeted option at all.

Being told there is no targetable mutation is not a statement about your prognosis — it is a statement about which treatment is most likely to work for your tumour's specific biology. Your oncologist will recommend the treatment the evidence best supports for your situation, which may be chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a combination. It is also worth asking whether your cancer type has any relevant clinical trials, as new targets are identified regularly and what applies to you today may change.

Yes, and this is one of the real challenges with targeted therapy. Cancer cells can develop new mutations that allow them to grow despite the treatment blocking the original target — a process called acquired resistance. This is why your team monitors your response with regular scans and, when resistance is suspected, may repeat the molecular testing to look for a new target. If a treatment stops working, there may be options to switch to a different agent, add another treatment, or explore a clinical trial.

The side effects are different, not necessarily fewer or less serious. Chemotherapy affects all fast-dividing cells, so hair loss, nausea, and low blood counts are common. Targeted therapy acts on specific molecular pathways, so the side effects tend to reflect which pathway is blocked — skin rashes, diarrhoea, liver enzyme changes, and raised blood pressure are more typical. Serious side effects still occur and still need prompt reporting. Knowing which side effects are expected for your specific treatment helps you know what to watch for and when to call your team.

It depends on the specific treatment. Many targeted therapies are taken as a daily tablet or capsule at home, which differs from most chemotherapy regimens that require a clinic visit for an infusion. Others are given as an intravenous infusion in a day-care setting. Your oncologist will tell you how your specific treatment is given. Even if you take a tablet at home, you will still attend regular clinic visits for blood tests, monitoring, and response assessment.

Yes. Targeted therapy is available in India and is given as day care at CION centres. Before treatment starts, your team will arrange biomarker testing to confirm which targeted therapy, if any, is appropriate for your tumour. Response assessment scans — including PET-CT — are coordinated with partner imaging centres. CION does not provide CAR-T or cell therapy; if that becomes relevant for your situation, your team will discuss a referral to a centre that offers it.