Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Mechanisms of Antineoplastic Drugs
•
Affecting cell survival
•
Boosting the immune system in its efforts to combat the
abnormal cells
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Goal of Cancer Treatment
•
Destroying cancer cells through several methods:
–
Surgery to remove them
–
Stimulation of the immune system to destroy them
–
Radiation therapy to destroy them
–
Drug therapy to kill them during various phases of
the cell cycle
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Categories of Antineoplastic Agents
•
Alkylating Agents
–
React chemically with portions of the RNA, DNA, or
other cellular proteins
•
Antimetabolites
–
Have chemical structures similar to those of natural
metabolites
•
Antineoplastic Antibiotics
–
Not selective only for bacterial cells; toxic to human
cells
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Categories of Antineoplastic Agents
(cont.)
•
Mitotic Inhibitors
–
Drugs that kill cells as the process of mitosis begins
•
Hormones and Hormone Modulators
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Used in cancers that are sensitive to estrogen
stimulation
•
Cancer Cell Specific Agents
–
Treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and CD117-
positive unresectable or metastatic malignant GI
stromal tumors (GIST)
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Question
Which term is used to describe the process that occurs
when cells lose their cellular differentiation and
organization?
A. Autonomy
B. Neoplasm
C. Anaplasia
D. Angiogenesis
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Answer
C. Anaplasia
Rationale: The cancerous cells exhibit anaplasia, a loss of
cellular differentiation and organization, which leads to a
loss of their ability to function normally.
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Sites of Action of Non
–
Cell Cycle
–
Specific
Antineoplastic Agents
Copyright © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Sites of Action of Cell Cycle
–
Specific
Antineoplastic Agents
