Side effects related to systemic cancer treatment: are we changing the Promethean experience with molecularly targeted therapies?
2008
Side Effects of Targeted Cancer Treatments
Editorial
Author Information
Author(s): Carlo De Angelis
Primary Institution: Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Hypothesis
Are we changing the Promethean experience with molecularly targeted therapies?
Conclusion
Molecularly targeted therapies can cause unique side effects that affect patients' quality of life, similar to traditional chemotherapy.
Supporting Evidence
- Modern chemotherapy can still be a Promethean experience for many cancer patients.
- Molecularly targeted therapies have been developed with specific targets in mind, unlike traditional cytotoxic agents.
- These therapies can cause unique side effects that affect quality of life.
- Practitioners need to be vigilant about the side effects of these new treatments.
Takeaway
Doctors are trying to make cancer treatments less painful, but new medicines can still cause problems for patients.
Limitations
Information regarding the side effects of molecularly targeted therapies is lacking compared to their clinical efficacy.
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