Anticancer drugs Flashcards
What is adjuvant treatment?
Reduction of risk of recurrence
What is neo-adjuvant treatment?
Facilitation of local resection
To de-bulk tumour before surgery or radiotherapy
What is palliative treatment?
To improve the quality and quantity of life in advanced disease setting
What are the two classifications of drug?
Cell cycle specific
Cell cycle non specific
What are cell cycle specific drugs?
Cells must be in cell cycle and it inhibits cell growth at specific phases
What are cell cycle non-specific drugs?
Acts on all cells independent of whether they are cycling or not
What are alkylating agents?
Covalently transfer alkyl groups to DNA bases
Mono-alkalylation leads to single stand DNA breaks
Alkylation of two bases results in cross bridges
This prevents DNA synthesis or transcription
Give an example of an alkylating drug
Cyclophosphamide
Chlorambucil
What are platinum agents?
Bind covalently to purine DNA bases
Prevent DNA strands from separating
Give example of platinum agents
Cisplatin
What are antimetabolites?
DNA synthesis
Interfere with nucleic acid incorporation
Give examples of antimetabolites
5-fluorouracil
Methotrexate
What are topoisomerase inhibitors?
Topoisomerase relax DNA for replication and transcription
Give examples of topoisomerase inhibitors
Anthracyclines
What are microtubule inhibitors?
Disrupt microtubule function and thereby cell division
