ABSTRACT
The achievement is attributed to our growing understanding of cancer genetics and biology, cancer prevention, and improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment. An expanding body of molecular solutions in the treatment of cancer has led to a tailored management. The advances in cancer genetics and biology have unveiled many key molecular or genetic alterations that play critical roles in cancer pathogenesis, and in driving tumor growth and progression. A significant breakthrough in the treatment of cancer across multiple cancer types is immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies that target the immune checkpoints such as cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 and programmed cell death protein 1 pathway. Targeted therapy has offered an opportunity ofinhibiting or killing cancer cells relative to normal healthy cells by increasing efficacy and reducing systemic toxicity compared to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.
