1.anticancer Drugs

Anti Cancer Drugs

The anti cancer drugs either kill cancer cells or modify their growth. However selectivity of drugs is limited and they are one of the most toxic drugs used in therapy. Anti cancer drugs can be divided into following three categories : 1.Cytotoxic drugs 2.Hormones 3.Radioactive isotopes

The term cytotoxic drugs applies to any drugs that can damage or kill cells . In practice it is used more restrictively to drugs that inhibit cell division and are potentially useful in cancer chemotherapy.

Classification: A. Drugs acting directly on cells (cytotoxic drugs) 1.Alkylating agents: - Mechlorethamine - Cyclophosphamide - Ifosfamide - Chlorambucyl 2.Antimetabolites: a) Folate antagonist - Methotrexate

b) Pyrimidine antagonist - Fluorouracil - Cytarabine - Gemcitabine c) Purine antagonist - Mercaptopurine - Fludarabine - Cladribine

3.natural and semisynthetic agents: a) Alkaloids - Vincristine - Vinblastine - Vindesine - Taxanes b) Glucoside - Etopside - Teniposide

c) Cytotoxic antibiotics - Actinomycin - Dactinomycin - Bleomycin - Doxorubicin d) Others - Interferons - Streptozocin - Hydroxyurea

B. Drugs altering hormones 1. Glucocorticoids - Prednisolone 2. Estrogens - Fosfestrol 3. Antiestrogen - Tamoxifen 4. Antiandrogen - Flutamide

5. 5 – alpha reductase inhibitor - Finasteride 6.GnRH analogues - Naferelin - Goserelin 7. Progestins - Hydroxyprogesteron acetate

Common adverse effects: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Nausea and vomiting ( most common ) Bone marrow suppression Immunosuppression Infections Impaired wound healing Depression of growth in children Damage to GIT epithelium Alopecia Sterility Teratogenecity