What differentiates targeted therapies from traditional chemotherapy in cancer treatment?

Targeted therapies are designed to specifically attack molecules that are involved in the growth, progression, and spread of cancer. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which indiscriminately kills rapidly dividing cells — both cancerous and healthy — targeted therapies focus on specific molecular targets associated with cancer. This means they can be more precise in their action, potentially leading to fewer side effects and improved efficacy.

Targeting specific pathways or mutations within cancer cells allows for a more tailored approach to treatment. For instance, therapies may inhibit the action of growth factor receptors or block specific signaling pathways that tumors rely on for their growth, thus disrupting the cancer's ability to thrive while sparing normal cells that do not express these same targets.

In contrast, the other options do not capture the essence of what distinguishes targeted therapies from traditional chemotherapy. While targeted therapies may indeed influence cancer stem cells or be given orally, these characteristics are not exclusive to targeted therapies, nor do they define their primary mechanism of action compared to conventional treatments. Moreover, the effectiveness of targeted therapies is generally regarded as being focused; they are not classified as less effective than traditional chemotherapy overall, but rather may be more effective for certain cancer types or patient populations.