What is chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is also capable of damaging cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, and nervous system. The goal with chemotherapy treatment is always to find the minimum dose to effectively kill cancer cells while sparing as many healthy cells as possible. Fortunately, normal cells can recover from the effects of chemotherapy. Cancer cells, on the other hand, cannot. • Alkylating agents: These drugs keep cells from reproducing by damaging their DNA. • Nitrosoureas: This group of alkylating agents is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and treat brain tumors. • Antimetabolites: These drugs prevent cells from reproducing by acting as a substitute for the normal building blocks of RNA and DNA. • Antibiotics: Unlike antibiotics used to treat infections, these drugs prevent cancer cells from growing and multiplying by changing the DNA inside of them. • Topoisomerase inhibitors: Also known as plant alkaloids, these drugs prevent cancer cells from reproducing by interfering with enzymes used to help separate strands of DNA. • Mitotic inhibitors: These plant alkaloids are able to damage cells in all phases of the cell cycle by keeping enzymes from making needed proteins. • Corticosteroids: When steroids are used in combination with chemotherapy drugs, they are considered chemotherapy drugs themselves. • Targeted therapies: These drugs are similar to chemotherapy because they kill cells during the cell cycle. The advantage of targeted therapies is that they are able to target ...