Ibrutinib/Eco is a chemotherapy drug or a targeted drug, what is the difference?

Ibrutinib/Ibrutinib (Ibrutinib) is a targeted therapy drug rather than a traditional chemotherapy drug. There are significant differences between chemotherapy drugs and targeted drugs in terms of treatment principles, mechanisms of action and side effects. Understanding the differences between these two types of drugs can help patients better understand the therapeutic advantages and indications of ibrutinib.

Targeted drugs work by specifically targeting specific molecular targets on cancer cells or abnormal cells to prevent the growth, spread or survival of these cells. Ibrutinib is a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor. It inhibits the function of the BTK enzyme and interferes with the B cell receptor signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the proliferation and survival of B cells. BTK plays an important role in a variety of B cell malignant diseases, especially in diseases such as mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). By targeting BTK, ibrutinib can effectively inhibit the spread of tumor cells while having less impact on normal cells, so targeted therapy usually results in fewer side effects.

Unlike targeted drugs, chemotherapy drugs are usually broad-spectrum drugs that act on all rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells and normal cells. Chemotherapy drugs inhibit tumor growth by interfering with the DNA replication or division of cancer cells. Although chemotherapy is very effective in treating many types of cancer, it can also cause some toxicity to normal cells (such as cells in the digestive tract, hair, and bone marrow), causing patients to experience adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and decreased immunity. Therefore, chemotherapy is often accompanied by strong side effects.

Ibrutinib has a more precise targeting effect than chemotherapy drugs. By specifically targeting the BTK receptor in cancer cells, it reduces the impact on normal cells, often reducing the incidence of side effects. This gives ibrutinib significant advantages in the treatment of B cell-related lymphoid malignancies.

Reference materials:https://www.imbruvica.com/