Chapter 2
Anticancer Drugs
Chemotherapy added a major new capability
to the treatment of cancer beginning with the use of alkylating agents and
anti-folates in the 1940s; it continues to expand today with anticancer agents specifically
targeting single subcellular structures such as proteasomes or large enzyme
groups like the kinase inhibitors and anti-metabolite agents.
In addition, medical oncologists who
deliver these chemical agents have become an important leg of the present
therapeutic triad, which also includes surgeons and radiotherapists. This triad
defines the protocol for today’s impressive treatments.
For now, let’s focus on
chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition to the conventional anticancer drugs, in
the last twenty years or so, many novel anticancer drugs have been developed
and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
While chemotherapy drugs may be
categorized in different ways. In this book, we attempt to divide anticancer
drugs into several categories according to Table 1.1 although some drugs could
be placed under several categories. Another type of therapy, gene therapy, will
not be discussed here.
Based on the listing in Table 1.1, a
number of representative anticancer drugs will be described and discussed in
the following sections.
Table 1.1. Categories of chemotherapeutic drugs
|
Category
|
Mechanism
|
Example
|
|
A.
Alkylating
agents
|
Affect DNA or cell division
|
nitrogen
mustard, cyclophosphamide, nitrosourea,
cisplatin, oxaliplatin
|
|
B.
Antimetabolites
|
Affect DNA or cell division
|
methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil
|
|
C.
Mitotic
inhibitors (Tubule inhibitors)
|
Affect cell division
|
paclitaxel, vinblastine
|
|
D.
Antibiotics
(Anthrocyclines)
|
Affect DNA or cell division
|
doxorubicin, dactinomycin, bleomycin
|
|
E.
Kinase
modulators
|
Modulate cell behaviors
|
imatinib
|
|
F.
Hormones
|
Modulate cell behaviors
|
tamoxifen
|
|
G.
Monoclonal
antibodies
|
Modulate cell behaviors
|
cetuximab, bevacizumab
|
|
H.
Other
approaches
|
Modulate cell behaviors
|
antibody + chemotherapy
|
© Jiajiu Shaw, 2018
Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen.
