Newly developed smart drugs drive cancer cells to suicide

Emphasizing that the smart drugs used recognize the cancer cell and target only it—that is, the target they recognize—experts argue, “The name 'smart drug' comes from this. Whether cancer cells are in a resting state or proliferating, they are affected by these drugs. There is no requirement for proliferation. There are different categories of smart drugs. The smartest ones are those that recognize and target the specific structural differences in the tumor cell that we call genetic mutations. These drugs can be likened to a guided missile; they go directly to find and destroy the target.”

THE SAME SMART DRUG CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN MULTIPLE TYPES

It is known that cancer arises as a result of structural changes in the genetic makeup of normal body cells, called “mutations,” and results in both aimless and uncontrolled cell proliferation.

You can think of these genetic mutations as a corruption in the code of a computer program. With these gene changes we call mutations, growth, development, and spreading characteristics begin to be observed in cancer cells. While only 10 percent of these changes are hereditary mutations passed down from parents, 90 percent are mutations that occur later and are called 'somatic'.

Molecules that stop this uncontrolled spread caused by mutations make up a portion of smart drugs. In almost every type of cancer, a kind of dominant genetic change we call a 'Driver' that triggers tumor development has been identified, and special drugs have been developed for some of these.

Smart drugs are designed to target the mutation that causes cancer. There are many smart drugs that have been proven effective and brought to market. Since these are drugs aimed at the mutation rather than a specific organ, they can also be effective in more than one type of cancer. For example, if a mutation is detected in the gene, effective treatment can be provided in lung, breast, and stomach cancers by suppressing the HER-2 receptor.

THANKS TO SMART DRUGS, PATIENTS CAN LIVE TROUBLE-FREE FOR 25 YEARS

The first smart drug was discovered in the early 2000s for leukemia, or blood cancer, which was considered untreatable at the time. Patients who could only live for a few years back then can now recover, meaning they can live trouble-free for 20-25 years thanks to this special treatment method.

After this initial discovery, researchers began looking for the specific gene structure changes we call mutations that cause tumor development in every cancer, and in the 2007s, they found a specific mutation called EGFR in lung cancer.

As research continued, the existence of such mutations was also revealed in skin, breast, and stomach cancers. Today, about 15-20 percent of lung cancer patients can benefit from smart drugs, and this rate increases in non-smoking and female patients.

SIDE EFFECTS ARE MILDER COMPARED TO CHEMOTHERAPY

It is also clear that smart drugs keep the disease under control, effectively making it a chronic condition. Among the side effects of smart drugs are fatigue, acne on the skin, dryness, and changes in hair color, although not to the extent of chemotherapy.

The reason for this is that the blocked gene signal also inhibits the normal functions of skin and hair pigment. The mechanisms of action of smart drugs vary; those targeting mutations are just one of them. Some act by stopping the cell's division signal. Healthy cells cannot divide and proliferate without receiving a proliferation signal from genes.

Cancer cells, on the other hand, proliferate unnecessarily, uncontrollably, and aimlessly without a signal, like an electrical switch stuck in the 'on' position or a broken photocopier. Some smart drugs block and stop the faulty signal, while others prevent the tumor from reaching blood vessels and being nourished.

These act by disrupting the tumor's ability to create its own vessels and its blood supply system, which we call angiogenesis. Some newly developed smart drugs work by driving the cancer cell to suicide.

When normal cells are damaged or their DNA is harmed, they destroy themselves, thus preventing the proliferation of the faulty cell. This cell suicide mechanism, also called programmed cell death, is impaired in cancer cells. Some newly discovered smart drugs enable this and convince cancer cells to commit suicide.