Chemo drugs + treatment plans

Question 1

Identify three commonly used alkylating agents and discuss their mechanism of action.

Answer 1

—alkylating agents
chlorambucil,
melphalan, and
cyclophosphamide.

covalently bind to DNA, causing cross-linking
preventing the DNA from unzipping
for replication, leading to cell death.

Question 2

Explain how platinum compounds such as cisplatin function in cancer treatment.

Include the type of DNA binding and the phase of the cell cycle they target.

Answer 2

cisplatin,
carboplatin, and
oxaliplatin,

covalent bonds with DNA, leading to intra- and inter-strand cross-links.
disrupts DNA structure and replication
targeting the S phase

Question 3

Describe how antimetabolites interfere with DNA and RNA synthesis.

Provide examples of folic acid, purine, and pyrimidine antagonists.

Answer 3

Antimetabolites interfere with DNA and RNA synthesis. specific to S phase

Folic acid antagonists (e.g., methotrexate) inhibit nucleotide synthesis by blocking folic acid.

Purine antagonists (e.g., mercaptopurine) interfere with purine bases needed for DNA.

Pyrimidine antagonists (e.g., 5-fluorouracil) disrupt pyrimidine synthesis.

Question 4

What are the key toxicities associated with cisplatin, and how do they compare with those of carboplatin and oxaliplatin?

Answer 4

Cisplatin is known for its effectiveness in treating testicular cancer but causes severe nausea, vomiting, and kidney toxicity.
Carboplatin has a similar activity spectrum with reduced kidney toxicity, while oxaliplatin has mild kidney toxicity but can cause nerve damage (neuropathy).

Question 5

Name the function, three vinca alkaloids and their target cancer types.

Answer 5

targeting microtubules to disrupt mitosis.

vincristine, vinblastine, and vinorelbine, which treat cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and lung cancer.

Question 6

What are taxanes, and how do they impact microtubule function during cell division? List some cancers commonly treated with taxanes.

Answer 6

Taxanes prevent microtubule disassembly
blocking mitosis
to treat breast, lung, and prostate cancers

Examples include paclitaxel and docetaxel.

Question 7

Treatment that targets angiogenesis
+ name 2 VEGF inhibitors

Answer 7

• SOFAFENIB + BEVACIZUMAB - VEGF inhibitors
• angiopoetin inhibitors + combination approach

Question 8

treatment that targets the cell cycle

Answer 8

CDK inhibitors
- CDK4/6 - ribociclib / palbociclib
- block transition to S phase
- used in HER2-neg breast cancer

Checkpoint kinase inhibitors
- CHK1 - prexasertib

Question 9

Sofafenib

Answer 9

VEGF inhibitor

Question 10

Bevacizumab

Answer 10

VEGF inhibitor

Question 11

Ribociclib

Answer 11

CDK4/6 inhibitor

Question 12

Palbociclib

Answer 12

CDK4/6 inhibitor

Question 13

Prexasertib

Answer 13

CHK1 inhibitor

Question 14

what are chlorambucil,
melphalan, and
cyclophosphamide.

Answer 14

alkylating agents

Question 15

what are cisplatin,
carboplatin, and
oxaliplatin,

Answer 15

platinum compounds

Question 16

treating breast cancer

Answer 16

Treatment: HER2-targeted therapies (e.g., trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and lapatinib).

Mechanism: HER2, a receptor tyrosine kinase, drives uncontrolled proliferation. These therapies block HER2 signaling, inhibiting growth in HER2-positive breast cancers.

Treatment: CDK4/6 inhibitors (e.g., palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib).

Mechanism: These drugs halt the cell cycle by inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinases required for the G1-S phase transition.

Treatment: PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors (e.g., alpelisib, everolimus).
Mechanism: Dysregulation of the PI3K pathway can bypass tumor suppressors like PTEN. Inhibiting this pathway reduces cell survival and proliferation.

Question 17

what are the mechanisms and treatments of them that can be universally applied to all cancer?

Answer 17

cell cycle dysregulation - cyclins and CDKs
treatment:

PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway
treatment:

RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) Pathway
treatment:

VEGF/VEGFR Pathway (Angiogenesis)
treatment:

p53
treatment: