Differences between durvalumab (durvalumab) immune drugs and targeted drugs and comparison of clinical applications

Durvalumab (Durvalumab) is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that belongs to the category of immunological drugs. Its main function is to block programmed death ligand1 (PD-L1 span>) binds to the T cell surface receptor PD-1, thereby releasing the suppression of the immune system by tumor cells and improving the body's immune cells' ability to recognize and kill cancer cells. This mechanism is different from targeted drugs, which mainly directly interfere with specific signaling pathways or gene mutations in tumor cells, thereby inhibiting tumor proliferation or inducing apoptosis.

In terms of clinical application, durvalumab is commonly used to treat locally advanced unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and urothelial cancer and other tumor types, especially in patients who undergo maintenance therapy after radiotherapy or chemotherapy, showing significant efficacy. In contrast, targeted drugs such as EGFR or ALK inhibitors are more suitable for patients with specific gene mutations and prevent tumor growth by directly inhibiting the function of the mutated protein.

From the perspective of efficacy, immune drugs such as durvalumab usually take a long time to observe a significant response, and some patients may develop drug resistance or immune-related side effects. Targeted drugs can quickly inhibit tumor progression in the short term, but resistance develops faster. In clinical practice, appropriate treatment strategies are often selected based on the patient's genetic test results, tumor type, and previous treatment options. Sometimes immune drugs are combined with targeted drugs to improve the efficacy.

In terms of safety, common adverse reactions of durvalumab include immune-related pneumonia, hepatitis, thyroid dysfunction, etc., while targeted drugs mostly manifest as rash, diarrhea, abnormal liver function, etc. Patients need to regularly monitor immune indicators and organ functions when using durvalumab, and also pay attention to early identification of immune-related side effects to facilitate timely intervention and ensure the safety and effectiveness of treatment.

Keyword tags:

Durvalumab, immune drug, targeted drug, difference and comparison, clinical application, mechanism of action, efficacy characteristics, side effect differences

Reference materials:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/durvalumab