Role of immunohistochemistry and biobanking in targeted cancer therapy

C which has been the standard therapeutic regimen for cancer has the disadvantages of conforming to the “one size fits all” style. These standard drugs fail to distinguish malignant versus normal tissue, thus bringing along a range of adverse effects. Targeted treatment on the contrary show a greater selectivity for tumor cells and causes less damage to normal cells. It is to be noted that morphologically distinct tumours show variable biological characteristics and response to treatment. It is thus becoming important to identify these targets within the cancer tissue which include the tumour cells and the tumour microenvironment (ie, stromal cells, microvessels, and host’s immune cells), all of which could serve as potential treatment targets.