Generally speaking, drugs in
categories A to D affect DNA synthesis and/or cell division; they can also
attack fast growing normal cells, including bone marrow cells, hair follicle
cells, and crypt cells as mentioned before. The drugs in categories E to G
including kinase modulators, hormone treatment, and mAbs can modulate tumor
cell behavior without directly attacking DNA in those cells.
Other than those in these A-G
categories, a number of newer approaches have been developed or under
development. For example, making antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) is one of the
newer approaches. In an ADC, a potent anticancer drug is covalently linked to
an antibody (the whole mAb or a fragment of an antibody) corresponding to
specific antigen differentially overexpressed in cancer cells. With this
design, the conjugate is able to discriminate between cancer cells (target of
the antibody) and normal cells; once the ADC hooks up with the cancer cell, the
potent anticancer drugs is released and attack the cancer cell. The end result
is that anticancer effect may be increased and the side effects may be reduced.
© Jiajiu Shaw, 2019
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.
