How do biologic therapies differ from traditional chemotherapy?

Biologic therapies are designed to leverage the body's immune system or target specific molecular pathways involved in the development and progression of cancer. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which typically works by attacking all rapidly dividing cells indiscriminately—leading to effects on both cancerous and healthy cells—biologic therapies aim for a more precise approach. This targeted strategy allows for potentially fewer side effects and enhanced effectiveness against cancer cells that express specific markers or belong to defined molecular subtypes.

In contrast to the other choices, biologic therapies are not necessarily less expensive than chemotherapy and can be quite costly. They are not limited to only solid tumors, as they can also be effective for hematological malignancies. Furthermore, they do not kill all rapidly dividing cells; instead, they selectively target pathways or immune responses relevant to the cancer. This specificity is what differentiates them from the broad action of traditional chemotherapeutic agents.