222 Flashcards
(56 cards)
Alkylating Agents
These drugs add alkyl groups to DNA, preventing replication.
Examples include cyclophosphamide and melphalan.
Antimetabolites
They mimic natural substances, disrupting DNA and RNA synthesis.
Notable examples are methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil.
Antitumor Antibiotics
These interfere with enzymes involved in DNA replication.
Examples include doxorubicin and bleomycin.
Targeted Therapy Drugs
Designed to interfere with specific molecules involved in tumor growth.
Examples include tyrosine kinase inhibitors like imatinib.
Hormone Therapy Drugs
Used to slow or stop the growth of cancers that rely on hormones.
An example is tamoxifen for breast cancer.
Immunotherapy Drugs
These enhance the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
Includes immune checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab.
Biological Therapy Drugs
Include agents like monoclonal antibodies that target specific antigens on cancer cells.
Chemotherapy Drugs
A diverse class of medications designed to kill rapidly dividing cancer cells.
Chemotherapy Side Effects
Common side effects include myelosuppression, nausea, hair loss, and mucositis.
Mechanism of Action of Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells, often affecting healthy ones.
Alkylating Agents Mechanism
They work by adding alkyl groups to DNA, causing crosslinking and preventing replication.
Alkylating Agents Examples
Examples include cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, melphalan, and chlorambucil.
Common Indications for Alkylating Agents
Used for leukemias, lymphomas, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and sarcomas.
Alkylating Agents Side Effects
Side effects include myelosuppression, nausea, vomiting, infertility, and potential secondary cancers.
Antimetabolites Mechanism
They disrupt DNA and RNA synthesis by resembling natural substances like nucleotides.
Antimetabolites Examples
Examples include methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, cytarabine, and gemcitabine.
Common Indications for Antimetabolites
Used for leukemias, breast cancer, head and neck cancers, and colon cancer.
Antimetabolites Side Effects
Common side effects include myelosuppression, mucositis, nausea, vomiting, and liver toxicity.
Topoisomerase Inhibitors Mechanism
They interfere with enzymes that manage DNA structure, preventing proper DNA unwinding.
Topoisomerase Inhibitors Examples
Examples include doxorubicin, etoposide, and irinotecan.
Common Indications for Topoisomerase Inhibitors
Used for leukemias, lymphomas, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and small-cell lung cancer.
Topoisomerase Inhibitors Side Effects
Side effects include cardiotoxicity, myelosuppression, alopecia, nausea, and vomiting.
Mitotic Inhibitors Mechanism
They disrupt spindle formation during mitosis, leading to cell cycle arrest.
Mitotic Inhibitors Examples
Examples include paclitaxel, vincristine, and vinblastine.