Despite scientific advancements, cancer remains a challenging disease to cure. For decades, development has centered on targeted treatment, which aims at specific targets on cancer cells, alongside traditional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In this context, antibodies play a significant role due to their specificity, which can reduce side effects on healthy tissues compared to traditional treatment. Antibodies can be used as monoclonal antibodies that bind to targets with their Fab region and interrupt key survival processes of cancer cells. They also mediate other effector functions, such as antibody dependent celullar cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), by binding to the Fc region's receptor (FcR). Innovative approaches in targeted therapy using antibodies include conjugated antibodies, where radioisotopes, toxins, or drugs can be attached to the antibody through a linker, allowing targeted drug delivery that induces target cell lysis upon internalization. The characteristic of bispecific antibodies is that they recognize two different antigens and serve as a bridge between the cancer cell and the immune effector cell (T cell), leading to the lysis of the target cell. The latest approach includes immune checkpoint inhibitors that block inhibitory molecules, which suppress the immune response.
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