Targeted therapies and immunotherapy gain importance in cancer treatment

Associate Professor Dr. Arif Akyıldız from the Erzincan Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital Medical Oncology Department has highlighted the increasing importance of targeted therapies and immunotherapy in cancer treatment.

While traditional chemotherapy affects rapidly dividing cells and can cause broad side effects, targeted therapies—commonly referred to as ‘smart drugs’—are designed to address specific molecular characteristics or genetic changes within cancer cells. Akyıldız emphasized that treatment must be personalized, noting that ‘every cancer’s mechanism of formation and proliferation is different,’ meaning smart drugs and immunotherapy cannot be applied to every patient. In some cases, chemotherapy remains a vital option.

Akyıldız advised patients against choosing treatments based on information from the internet or social circles, stating that medical decisions must be made by physicians based on clinical status and molecular or genetic examinations. Additionally, he noted that Erzincan has become a regional oncology center, providing services to patients from surrounding provinces including Giresun, Tunceli, Bayburt, and Gümüşhane.