Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to target specific molecules or pathways that are involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells. The following are some targeted therapy medications that may be used to treat rectal cancer:

• Bevacizumab (Avastin):
  This medication is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor that works by blocking the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors. It is sometimes used in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced rectal cancer.
• Cetuximab (Erbitux):
  This medication is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor that is sometimes used in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced rectal cancer.
• Panitumumab (Vectibix):
  This medication is also an EGFR inhibitor that works in a similar way to cetuximab. It is sometimes used in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced rectal cancer.

It’s important to note that the use of targeted therapy medications for rectal cancer is generally limited to patients with specific genetic mutations or biomarkers. Your healthcare provider will determine the most appropriate treatment plan for you based on your individual case.

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that works by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. The following are some immunotherapy medications that may be used to treat rectal cancer:

• Pembrolizumab (Keytruda):
  This medication is a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor that works by blocking the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, which can suppress the immune system. It is sometimes used to treat advanced rectal cancer that has certain genetic mutations.
• Nivolumab (Opdivo):
  This medication is also a PD-1 inhibitor that works in a similar way to pembrolizumab. It is sometimes used to treat advanced rectal cancer that has certain genetic mutations.
• Ipilimumab (Yervoy):
  This medication is a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitor that works by blocking the interaction between CTLA-4 and its ligands, which can also suppress the immune system. It is sometimes used in combination with nivolumab to treat advanced rectal cancer that has certain genetic mutations.

It’s important to note that the use of immunotherapy medications for rectal cancer is generally limited to patients with specific genetic mutations or biomarkers. Your healthcare provider will determine the most appropriate treatment plan for you based on your individual case.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. It is typically used in combination with chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.