Targeted therapy and the immune system
Kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, hormone therapy for breast cancer, and immunosuppressants. 13 drugs in 9 classes. Read them through, then practice: their classes, how they work, what they treat and what they're known for. 16 questions, about 5 minutes.
Free, and no account needed.
In this group
The classes and their drugs
- Tyrosine kinase inhibitorsBlocking an overactive tyrosine kinase that drives cancer cells to divide
- Imatinib
- HER2-targeted antibodiesBinding the HER2 growth receptor on cancer cells that overexpress it
- Trastuzumab
- CD20-targeted antibodiesBinding CD20 on B lymphocytes so that the B cells are destroyed
- Rituximab
- PD-1 checkpoint inhibitorsBlocking the PD-1 off switch on T cells so they attack cancer cells
- Pembrolizumab
- Selective estrogen receptor modulatorsBinding estrogen receptors to block estrogen in breast but mimic it in bone
- Tamoxifen
- Aromatase inhibitorsBlocking aromatase so androgens are no longer turned into estrogen
- AnastrozoleLetrozole
- Calcineurin inhibitorsBlocking calcineurin so T cells cannot switch on interleukin-2
- CiclosporinTacrolimus
- Antiproliferative immunosuppressantsStarving dividing lymphocytes of the purines they need to copy DNA
- AzathioprineMycophenolate mofetil
- TNF inhibitorsBinding TNF-alpha so it cannot activate its inflammatory receptors
- AdalimumabInfliximab