What is immunotherapy and tumor targeted therapy

Tumor immunotherapy is a treatment approach that activates the body's own immune system to attack tumor cells. It leverages the ability of immune cells to recognize and target tumor cells, thereby enhancing the immune system's response to tumors and achieving therapeutic goals. The main methods of tumor immunotherapy include monoclonal antibody therapy, cancer vaccine therapy, and cellular immunotherapy. Among these, monoclonal antibody therapy is the most common. It works by selectively binding to specific antigens on the surface of tumor cells, thereby activating immune cells to launch an attack on the tumor cells.
Tumor targeted therapy is a treatment approach that operates at the cellular and molecular level, focusing on well-defined carcinogenic sites. The targets of molecular targeted therapy are the malignant phenotypic molecules of tumor cells, which include specific cell receptors and signaling molecules that promote tumor growth and metastasis, as well as receptors or molecules related to tumor angiogenesis and cell cycle regulation. By targeting these molecules, targeted therapy selectively kills tumor cells and disrupts tumor blood vessels, akin to a "biological missile," without affecting the surrounding normal tissue cells.
In summary, the mechanisms of immunotherapy and targeted therapy differ. Immunotherapy indirectly kills tumor cells by enhancing the body's anti-tumor immune response, while targeted therapy directly kills tumors or disrupts tumor blood vessels by targeting tumor-associated molecules.