A targeted drug therapy has been introduced to treat the patients of breast cancer. This drug therapy can significantly improve survival rates of some advanced breast cancer patients.

Medical Oncologist and Cancer Institute Director of the St. Luke’s Medical Center, Dr. Antonio Villaon, says, “the objective of targeted therapy is to stop the signaling system of cancer cells”. The targeted drug therapy entails interfering with the cellular processes of individual cells and depriving them of the signals for cancer activity. This therapy is designed to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells. These types of therapies are more precise so that the damage to surrounding normal cells could be reduced.

One such drug is Lapatinib which is manufactured by a pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline. The firm has announced to reduce the prices of this drug by 40% under the Value health program. The drug slows down the growth of disease by inhibiting tyrosine kinase which is an enzyme responsible for the growth of tumor.

This is considered as a milestone drugs which gives the option of non-chemotherapy treatment of patients.

Researchers hope this drug may lead to the treatment of breast cancer that can further decrease the number of cancer cells in the patient.