What are the different chemotherapy drugs used in oncology?
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Dr. Vincent T DeVita Jr answered:There are over a hundred different anti cancer drugs. They are grouped by how they work. Many attack DNA in different ways or interfere with the metabolism of cancer cells . Other interfere with the way cells divide and since cancer cells divide more often than normal cells they are lethal. The newest form of chemotherapy is targeted chemotherapy . These are drugs that attack a very specific target, usually and abnormal gene product that may be unique to a particular cancer. These products of genes are often involved in the signaling systems cells use to tell them to divide or not.There are over a hundred different anti cancer drugs. They are grouped by how they work. Many attack DNA in different ways or interfere with the metabolism of cancer cells . Other interfere with the way cells divide and since cancer cells divide... More -
Baptist Health South Florida answered:The chemotherapy drugs used in oncology can be taken orally or administered by injection. They affect the entire body at once, so chemotherapy is considered a systemic form of treatment. The drugs used to kill cancer are known as cytotoxic agents, because they are toxic to cells of all types. Some drugs are antimetabolites, meaning that they stop the cell's metabolic processes by cutting off its access to necessary enzymes. Mitotic inhibitors slow the cellular reproduction process, while antitumor antibiotics work on the cell's DNA to prevent the genetic changes that cause cells to become cancerous. Nitrosoureas stop cells from repairing the damage cytotoxic agents can do to cellular DNA. Alkylating agents damage abnormal, cancerous cellular DNA to hamper the reproduction of cancerous cells.
The chemotherapy drugs used in oncology can be taken orally or administered by injection. They affect the entire body at once, so chemotherapy is considered a systemic form of treatment. The drugs used to kill cancer are known as cytotoxic agents,... More
