Targeted therapies, also known as biomarker-driven, precision medicines or molecularly targeted therapies are a specific type of cancer treatment which identify and attack particular aspects of cancer cells and their growth signals. These therapies are highly precise, targeting only cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. They are primarily used for metastatic lung cancer patients and work differently from standard chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and angiogenesis inhibitors.

• Standard chemotherapy directly attacks both cancer and healthy cells.
• Immunotherapy boosts the body’s immune system to target cancer cells.
• Angiogenesis inhibitors halt new blood vessel formation to deprive tumors of their blood supply.

Targeted therapies are usually taken orally and continued until disease progression or intolerable side effects occur, whereas chemotherapy and immunotherapy are commonly administered intravenously.