cancer cells

• what do different cells in the body have?

  different surface antigens
• What do cancer cells have?


  Antigens called tumour markers that are NOT found on normal body cells
• monoclonal antibodies can be made that will bind to the tumour markers
• what can you also attach to the antibodies?


  anti-canceer drugs
• what happens when the antibodies come into contact with the cancer cells?


  they will bind to the tumour markers. This means the drug will only accumulate in the body where there are cancer cells.

  So, the side effects of an antibody-based drug are lower than other drugs because they accumulate near specific cells