Chemotherapy Flashcards
What are the different types of treatment available for cancer
Surgery Radiotherapy Chemotherapy Targeted therapies Immunotherapy
What types of chemotherapy are there
IV or oral for systemic delivery/absorption
How should systemtic therapy be delivered
Oral or intravenous route
Regular cycles with timing dependent on the findings from pharmacokinetics (half life, excretion)
May be need for delay if toxicities develop
Intensification previously evaluated: better in non-solid tumours
What methods can be used to access drug activtiy
Objective
Improved
Adjuvant
Neoadjuvant
Describe the objective method
It shows an objective response in advanced disease via CT scan, PET scan and/or clinical examination
RECIST criteria if radiological
Describe the improved method
Shows:
Overall survival (OS)
Progression-free survival (PFS)
Improved quality of life (QoL)
Describe the adjuvant method
Shows if treatment improves survival
Describe the neoadjuvant method
It may improve survival through increasing operability or reduce the ‘filed’ of radical radiotherapy (treatment before surgery)
Name the catergories that cytotoxic agents be classified into
Alkylating agents Anti-metabolites Mitotic inhibitors Antibiotics Others
What is the site of action for anti-metabolites
DNA synthesis
They impair replication
What is the site of action for alkylating agents
DNA
What is the site of action for intercalating agents
DNA transcription
DNA duplication
What is the site of action for spindle poisons
Mitosis
What is the mode of action for alkylating agents
The alkyl group allows covalent bonds with other molecules
DNA helix X-links intra- and interstrand
Attaches to free guanines at N6 on separated DNA strands
Can not act as templates for new DNA formation
What is the structure of antimetabolites
Similar chemical structure to essential metabolites required by cell prior to cell division
What is the mode of action for antimetabolites
They may be incorporated into new nuclear material or bind irreversibly with vital enzymes to inhibit cell division
Give examples of antimetabolites
Antagonise folic acid (methotrexate) Antagonise purine (6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine)