India, Aug. 20 -- In a major breakthrough for cancer treatment in India, the government on Thursday announced a "smart" cancer drug that can replace the traditional chemotherapy which, it said, has been found to harm healthy cells while attacking the cancer cells in the human body.

The government said the 'smart' cancer drug has been designed to switch on and work only inside cancer cells, sparing the healthy cells from damage.

"Cancer treatment often damages healthy cells along with cancer cells, causing significant associated adverse effects and side effects. This has created a need for targeted therapies that remain inactive in normal tissues while it travels through the body and become activated specifically at tumor sites," the gov...