overview of cancer chemotherapy

Dr Paul Reynolds

To explain the strategy used in the treatment of cancer with chemotherapeutic drugs

the strategy with all of them is to inhibit DNA polymerisation, whether that is by inputting a base pair mutation to cause cell death by apoptosis or if it is to do any of the functions listed belo on the tables it basically wants to kill the tumour cells and the tumour cells and undergoing uncontrolled proliferation so it will go to any extent to interfere with proliferation!!

To list the of drugs used to treat cancer

BELOW

To explain how the mechanism of action of these drugs is related to their therapeutic usage

its been put twice one down below ahhh	mechanisms of action	Plant derivatives	mechanisms of action
Anthracyclines	act to inhibit DNA & RNA Polymerisation by binding to DNA. It also acts as an inhibitor of tropoisomerase II which usually helps a cell proliferate	vinca alkaloids	bind tubulin and prevent polymerisation into microtubules
Dactinomycin	Interferes with movement of RNA polymerase along genes, preventing transcription. it also has evidence to suggest it acts as an inhibitor of topoisomerase II	Taxanes	microtubule inhibiting agent
Bleomycin	Effective in G2 phase and mitosis it is also active against non-dividing cells	camptothecins	bind to and inhibit topoisomerase I
Mitomycin	cross links DNA and may degrade DNA through generation of free radicals	Etoposides	inhibits mitochondrial function, tropoisomerase II and nucleoside transport

Alkylating agents	example	mechanism of action
Nitrogen mustards	cyclophosphamide	Intrastrand crosslinking
of DNA
Ethylenimines	Thiotepa	Intrastrand crosslinking
of DNA
Alkylsulphonates	Busulphan	Intrastrand crosslinking
of DNA	It is used in chronic
granulocytic leukaemia.
Hydrazines and Triazines	Temozolomide	Intrastrand crosslinking
of DNA
Nitrosoureas	carmustine	Intrastrand crosslinking
of DNA	may be used against tumours of
the brain and meninges
Platinum based compounds	cisplatin	results in local denaturation of the DNA chain BY CAUSING intrastrand cross-linking which inhibits DNA separation

Cytotoxic antibiotics	mechanism of action
Anthracyclines	It binds to DNA and inhibits both DNA andRNA synthesis the main one is doxorubicin
Dactinomycin	interfering with the movement
of RNA polymerase along the gene and thus
preventing transcription. it also has an inhibitory affect on topoisomerase II
Bleomycin	effective at stopping proliferation of cells at G2 and mitosis
Mitomycin	It cross-links DNA and may also degrade DNA
through the generation of free radicals.

Antimetabolites	example	mechanism of action
Antifolates	methotrexate	This inhibits DNA polymerase.
Antipyrimidines	5-FU	inhibits
DNA polymerase
Antipurines	mercaptopurine	inhibits
DNA polymerase

To recognize the clinical context in which particular drugs are used.
To identify the major side effects of these drugs

side effects include the following….