Are monoclonal antibodies a type of targeted therapy?

Yes. Monoclonal antibodies are a type of targeted cancer therapy, which means they are designed to interact with specific targets.

Monoclonal antibodies are immune system proteins created in the lab. Like the antibodies your body makes naturally, they recognize specific targets — in this case, targets found on cancer cells.

Some monoclonal antibodies are also considered immunotherapy because they help turn the immune system against cancer. For example, some mark cancer cells so the immune system can better recognize and destroy them, and others bring T cells close to cancer cells so the immune cells can kill them.

So a single monoclonal antibody can be both targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Your care team can explain how a specific antibody works for your cancer.