Architecture of Cancer Therapies

Abstract

In this chapter, we will discuss that the classical therapy of solid cancers is surgery, which is often combined with radiation therapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy. The latter is an economic way of cancer treatment but often causes side effects. Nowadays, the application of NGS methods, such as exome and whole genome sequencing, enables a detailed analysis of the molecular complexity of cancer in general as well as a focus on the individual case. In particular, understanding the role of kinases as drivers in the tumorigenesis process allowed the design of inhibitory molecules, many of which are successfully applied as anticancer drugs with high precision. The combination of genomic analysis with the increasing number of specific anticancer drugs and the expanding variety of immune therapies permits a more precise treatment of each individual cancer case.