Anti-Tumor Therapies: Key Drugs and Modern Cancer Treatment Approaches

Cancer remains one of the most significant global health challenges, affecting millions of people every year.

🤔 As research advances, the landscape of oncology continues to evolve, offering new therapeutic options that improve survival, reduce side effects, and enhance quality of life.

In this context, anti-tumor therapies—ranging from chemotherapy and targeted agents to biologics—play a central role.

What Are Tumors?

A tumor refers to an abnormal growth of cells. Tumors can be:

• ⭕ Benign: non-cancerous and localized
• ❌ Malignant: cancerous, invasive, and capable of spreading (metastasis)

Malignant tumors disrupt normal organ function by growing uncontrollably, invading tissues, and metastasizing through blood or lymphatic systems.

Why do tumors occur?

Common causes include:

• Genetic mutations
• Environmental exposures (tobacco, radiation, chemicals)
• Chronic inflammation
• Infections (e.g., HPV, HBV)
• Aging-related genetic instability

👉 Understanding tumor biology enables the development of more precise anti-tumor therapies.

Types of Tumors

✅ Understanding the major categories of tumors helps explain why different patients require different anti-tumor treatment strategies.

Tumors can be classified in several ways, including tissue origin, anatomical location, and molecular characteristics.

Below are the most commonly recognized types.

1. Carcinomas: Arise from epithelial cells and account for 80–90% of all malignant tumors. They are among the most common cancers seen in clinical practice.

• Lung cancer (small cell & non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC)
• Breast cancer, often classified by molecular subtype (HER2+, HR+, triple-negative)
• Gastric and colorectal cancers
• Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer)
• Prostate cancer

2. Hematologic Malignancies:These cancers originate from blood-forming or immune cells and include:

• Leukemia (e.g., CML, acute leukemias)
• Lymphoma (Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma)
• Multiple myeloma

3. Sarcomas: Develop from mesenchymal tissues, including bone, muscle, fat, and blood vessels. They are relatively rare but often highly aggressive

• Osteosarcoma
• Liposarcoma
• Soft tissue sarcomas

4. Central Nervous System (CNS) Tumors: These tumors arise in the brain and spinal cord.

• Glioblastoma
• Astrocytoma
• Meningioma

5. Metastatic Tumors: Occur when cancer cells spread from the primary tumor site to distant organs, such as:

• Breast cancer → bone or liver metastasis
• Lung cancer → brain metastasis

6. Pediatric Cancers: Children develop a distinct set of cancers that differ biologically from adult tumors.

• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
• Neuroblastoma
• Wilms tumor

Anti-Tumor Drugs

Modern cancer treatment includes several major categories. The drugs listed in the table fall into four main types:

1. Chemotherapy & Cytotoxic Agents

These drugs prevent cancer cells from dividing or trigger cell death.

Examples in the list:

• Paclitaxel for Injection (Albumin Bound): widely used for breast, lung, and ovarian cancers; albumin-bound formulation improves solubility and reduces solvent-related toxicity.
• Doxorubicin HCL Liposome Injection: a liposomal delivery system that enhances tumor targeting and lowers cardiac toxicity.
• Mitoxantrone HCL Liposome Injection: used for leukemias and metastatic prostate cancer; liposomal form improves pharmacokinetics.
• Irinotecan Liposome Injection: used particularly in colorectal cancer; liposomal version prolongs drug exposure within tumor tissue.

These formulations reflect a trend toward improved delivery systems that increase efficacy while reducing side effects.

2. Targeted Therapies

Targeted drugs act on specific molecules involved in cancer growth.

Examples in the list:

• Sorafenib Tosylate Tablets: a multikinase inhibitor used in liver, kidney, and thyroid cancers.
• Sunitinib Malate Capsules: targets multiple signaling pathways; widely used for renal cell carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).
• Imatinib Mesylate Tablets: the first breakthrough targeted drug, transforming chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) into a manageable disease.
• Erlotinib Hydrochloride Tablets: an EGFR inhibitor commonly used in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Targeted therapies represent a major milestone in cancer treatment, allowing precision medicine with fewer systemic side effects.

3. Proteasome Inhibitors

Bortezomib for Injection is a well-known proteasome inhibitor used to treat multiple myeloma.

It blocks protein degradation pathways in cancer cells, leading to apoptosis.

4. Supportive Care Biologics

Cancer treatment often lowers white blood cells, increasing infection risk.

• PEG-GCSF (Pegylated Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor)
  Helps stimulate neutrophil production, protecting patients during chemotherapy.

Supportive care drugs are essential for maintaining treatment schedules and improving patient tolerance.

How Anti-Tumor Therapies Are Chosen

Oncologists determine treatment plans based on:

• Tumor type and stage
• Molecular biomarkers
• Patient age and overall health
• Previous treatment response
• Genetic testing (e.g., EGFR mutation, ALK fusion)

💊+💊 A typical cancer treatment plan may combine several methods—for example:

• Chemotherapy + targeted therapy
• Surgery + radiation + systemic therapy
• Immunotherapy + chemotherapy

This multidisciplinary approach improves outcomes and tailors care to individual patient needs.

Future Directions in Anti-Tumor Treatment

The field continues to advance rapidly, with emerging trends such as:

• Immunotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1, CAR-T)
• Next-generation targeted inhibitors
• Nanomedicine & more advanced liposomal formulations
• Personalized genomics-guided treatment
• Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs)

These technologies aim to increase precision and reduce toxicity.

Conclusion

The medications listed under “Anti-Tumor” represent a broad spectrum of cancer therapies—from classic chemotherapeutics to modern targeted drugs and supportive biologics.

Together, they form the cornerstone of cancer management across various tumor types.

✨ Understanding tumor biology and the mechanisms of anti-tumor therapies helps patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals navigate treatment decisions with greater confidence.

As research continues to move forward, more innovative and precise therapeutic options will emerge, offering renewed hope in the fight against cancer.

In line with our ongoing commitment to monitoring global trends in oncology research and therapeutic innovation, DengYue Medicine remains dedicated to staying informed.

👉 We continue to follow the development of various tumor types and emerging treatment approaches with a professional and responsible perspective.

FAQ about Anti-Tumor