Targeted therapy for laryngeal cancer
Targeted therapy uses drugs to target specific molecules (such as proteins) on cancer cells or inside them. These molecules help send signals that tell cells to grow or divide. By targeting these molecules, the drugs stop the growth and spread of cancer cells and limit harm to normal cells. Targeted therapy may also be called molecular targeted therapy.
Targeted therapy is sometimes used to treat laryngeal cancer. If you have targeted therapy, your healthcare team will use what they know about the cancer and about your health to plan the drugs, doses and schedules.
You may have targeted therapy along with radiation therapy or chemotherapy to treat advanced laryngeal cancer.
Monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies have been designed in a lab to recognize and lock onto particular protein markers on the surface of some cancer cells.
Cetuximab (Erbitux) is a monoclonal antibody and the most common targeted therapy drug used to treat laryngeal cancer. It may be used with radiation therapy. It's offered if you canʼt tolerate chemotherapy with platinum drugs such as cisplatin or carboplatin. You may not be able to tolerate these drugs because of the side effects or other health issues.
Cetuximab is usually given in a vein in the arm (intravenously or by IV) once a week.
Side effects of targeted therapy
Side effects of targeted therapy will depend mainly on the type of drug or combination of drugs, the dose, how it’s given and your overall health. Tell your healthcare team if you have side effects that you think are from targeted therapy. The sooner you tell them of any problems, the sooner they can suggest ways to help you deal with them.
Cetuximab may cause these side effects:
- fatigue
- skin problems including rash, dryness, itching
- headache
- fever
- loss of appetite
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
Find out more about targeted therapy
Find out more about targeted therapy. To make the decisions that are right for you, ask your healthcare team questions about targeted therapy.
Details on specific drugs change regularly. Find out more about the sources of drug information and where to get details on specific drugs.
Your trusted source for accurate cancer information
With support from readers like you, we can continue to provide the highest quality cancer information for over 100 types of cancer.
We’re here to ensure easy access to accurate cancer information for you and the millions of people who visit this website every year. But we can’t do it alone.
Every donation helps fund reliable cancer information, compassionate support services and the most promising research. Please give today because every contribution counts. Thank you.