lecture 15 - Cytotoxic chemotherapy I

Question 1

CHEMOTHERAPY

Answer 1

Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells (or attenuate them)
Interfering with tumour cells ability to grow and proliferate
* Adjuvant chemotherapy ie localised breast cancer
* Induction chemotherapy ie AML
* Curative chemotherapy ie Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma
* Palliative chemotherapy ie given to relieve symptoms and improve quality

Question 2

WHERE DO THEY ACT?

Question 3

PLATINUM-BASED DRUGS

Answer 3

Mechanism of action: Target DNA, produce alkylation through
formation of intermediates. No phase-specific drugs
Cisplatin: Extremely
nephrotoxic (kidney damage)
Carboplatin: High risk of bone
marrow suppression
Oxaliplatin: Causes severe
peripheral neuropathy

Question 4

Cisplatin: how likely is it to cause nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, ototoxicity, or myelosuppression?

Answer 4

Nephrotoxicity -
Neurotoxicity -
Ototoxicity -
Myelosuppression -

Question 5

Carboplatin: how likely is it to cause nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, ototoxicity, or myelosuppression?

Answer 5

Nephrotoxicity -
Neurotoxicity -
Ototoxicity -
Myelosuppression -

Question 6

Oxaliplatin: how likely is it to cause nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, ototoxicity, or myelosuppression?

Answer 6

Nephrotoxicity -
Neurotoxicity -
Ototoxicity -
Myelosuppression -

Question 7

What is Oxaliplatin

Answer 7

Platinum-based chemotherapy
* Used primarily for colorectal cancer
* Its a key component of the FOLFOX regimen
(FOLinic acid + Fluorouracil + OXaliplatin).

Forms DNA crosslinks
* Inhibits DNA replication &
transcription
* Induces cell cycle arrest &
apoptosis
* Bulky group blocks binding of DNA repair enzymes

Repaired by
nucleotide excision
repair (NER) via
XPC-RAD23B