Chemotherapy Flashcards
What are the different types of chemotherapy
=Neo-adjuvant
=Adjuvant
=Palliative
What type of drugs would you use for chemotherapy
Cytotoxic drugs which kill rapidly dividing cells
Why do we give multiple drug regimens
Different classes work in different ways and attack different sites of cell division
-Also reduces toxicity
Why do we give cycles of chemotherapy
- Achieve total cell kill
- Limit toxicity
- Typically 3 week cycles
What do the antimetabolites do
Interfere with the metabolic pathways In DNA synthesis
What are folate antagonists do
- Inhibit purine and pyrimidine synthesis
- Interfere with the folic acid system
What is Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy
Anti-caner drugs at the start of treatment to shrink the tumour and it facilitates surgery
What is adjuvant chemotherapy
Mop up any cells left behind after surgery or any metastasised cells
What is palliative chemotherapy
Use of drugs to alleviate symptoms of patients with non-curable cancer
What would you do after you give someone a folate antagonist and why
Give patient folic acid to stop formation of megaloblastic anaemia
What do false substrates do
They are chemically similar to pyrimidine and so is incorporated into DNA as false metabolites and lead to the damage of DNA
-ALso inhibits thymidylate synthase
What do alkylating agents do
Cause chemical cross-linking of DNA leading to defective DNA replication
What do platinum compounds do
Inhibition of DNA synthesis by cross linking guanine residues and so DNA can’t also be repaired
What are side effects of platinum compounds
Cause a lot of nausea
What do anthracycline antibiotics do
Interfere with nucleotide synthesis by intercalating between DNA strands so DNA replication can’t take place, inhibiting topoisomerase and generating free radicals
