Cytotoxic Drugs
How does cancer kill you?
Highly dependant on type of cancer and where in the body it is
Effects on essential function (gut absorption, respiration...)
Chemical imbalance (high calcium from bone demineralisation)
Infection (bone marrow and white cell depletion)
Bone marrow (decreased red blood cell production, platelets and increased
risk of stroke)
Treatments no longer effective (drug resistance)
Cytotoxic drug targets:
Direct DNA drugs:
1) Alkylating agents- (Cyclophosphamide)
Common widely used drugs
Cyclophosphamide is activated by liver metabolism
Acts by damaging DNA (opens guanine ring), therefore interferes with cell
replication causing a misreading event
Uses: lymphocytic leukaemia, lymphomas, soft tissue and osteogenic
sarcoma and solid tumours
Toxicity: destruction of normal tissues with rapid turnover (bone marrow,
alopecia, GI tract toxicity), high risk of sterility (testicular atrophy in men and
amenorrhoea and ovarian fibrosis in women)
How does cancer kill you?
Highly dependant on type of cancer and where in the body it is
Effects on essential function (gut absorption, respiration...)
Chemical imbalance (high calcium from bone demineralisation)
Infection (bone marrow and white cell depletion)
Bone marrow (decreased red blood cell production, platelets and increased
risk of stroke)
Treatments no longer effective (drug resistance)
Cytotoxic drug targets:
Direct DNA drugs:
1) Alkylating agents- (Cyclophosphamide)
Common widely used drugs
Cyclophosphamide is activated by liver metabolism
Acts by damaging DNA (opens guanine ring), therefore interferes with cell
replication causing a misreading event
Uses: lymphocytic leukaemia, lymphomas, soft tissue and osteogenic
sarcoma and solid tumours
Toxicity: destruction of normal tissues with rapid turnover (bone marrow,
alopecia, GI tract toxicity), high risk of sterility (testicular atrophy in men and
amenorrhoea and ovarian fibrosis in women)
