Everolimus is not a traditional chemotherapy drug. Instead, it is classified as a targeted therapy. This type of medication works by specifically interfering with molecules involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells, rather than broadly attacking all rapidly dividing cells in the body.
Everolimus: A Targeted Therapy
Everolimus is available under brand names such as Afinitor and Zortress. It belongs to a group of drugs called mTOR inhibitors, which are a specific type of targeted therapy. Unlike conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapies like everolimus are designed to pinpoint and disrupt particular processes that enable cancer cells to thrive and multiply. This focused approach aims to minimize harm to healthy cells while still effectively combating the disease.
How Everolimus Works
Everolimus exerts its effects by blocking a protein called mammalian target of rapamycin, or mTOR. The mTOR protein is a kinase, an enzyme found in elevated amounts in some cancer cells. The mTOR pathway plays a significant role in regulating various cellular processes, including cell growth, division, and survival. By inhibiting mTOR, everolimus disrupts this pathway, which can slow or stop the proliferation of cancer cells. This mechanism also helps to inhibit the growth of new blood vessels that tumors require for their development and sustenance.
Conditions Treated with Everolimus
Everolimus is approved for treating several specific types of cancers and other conditions, including:
Advanced hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer in adults.
Advanced renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer.
Neuroendocrine tumors originating in the pancreas, lungs, or gastrointestinal tract that cannot be surgically removed.
Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA), a benign brain tumor associated with tuberous sclerosis complex.
Renal angiomyolipoma, a non-cancerous kidney tumor also associated with tuberous sclerosis complex.
Everolimus Versus Traditional Chemotherapy
The fundamental difference between everolimus and traditional chemotherapy lies in their mechanisms of action. Traditional chemotherapy drugs work by broadly attacking and destroying any cells that divide rapidly, including both cancerous and healthy cells. This generalized action often leads to significant side effects as healthy, fast-growing cells, such as those in hair follicles, bone marrow, and the digestive tract, are also affected.
Everolimus operates with much greater specificity. It focuses on interfering with particular molecular pathways, like the mTOR pathway, which are abnormally active in cancer cells. This targeted approach aims to disrupt cancer cell growth and survival while sparing healthy cells to a greater extent. While everolimus still has side effects, their profile often differs from those of chemotherapy, reflecting its more precise mode of action. Everolimus is applied when a specific molecular target has been identified, making it suitable for certain cancer types or stages where this targeted strategy offers a benefit.