Chemotherapy drugs are pretty numerous and they fall into various categories following such criteria as the way they work, the relationship they establish with other drugs and the chemical structure they have. The origin of most drugs is in herbal extracts that are afterwards processed and combined in laboratories. And, last but not least, one drug may be found in various categories as they may have several effects on the body of the patient. Medical science and professional competence in the health care realm involves a good knowledge of chemotherapy drugs and their specificity.
Alkylating agents is a first class of chemotherapy drugs worth mentioning. These drugs have a very destructive effect on the bone marrow because they destroy the DNA to stop the reproduction of the cancerous cells. This type of chemotherapy drugs is used in a wide variety of cancers and it is recommended only in small dosage to reduce the risk of leukemia that may appear 5 or 10 years after following the recommended chemotherapy treatment. The platinum based drugs are sometimes included in the same category because they act in a very similar manner against the disease.
Another category of chemotherapy drugs is the one consisting of antimetabolites. They are used in treating ovary and intestinal cancers, breast tumors and leukemia and they also interfere not only with the DNA but also with the RNA. The anthracyclines represent another variety of chemotherapy drugs included into the antibiotic group. Their action is directed against enzymes that contribute to the DNA replication which is why they prove efficient in a large number of cancer cases.
Next is the category of inhibitors. The topoisomerase inhibitors help in separating and copying strands of DNA efficiently treating leukemia. The mitotic inhibitors are more natural-based derived from plants and they help in preventing enzymes from producing proteins required in cell reproduction. Even so, there is one huge risk that patients take when following such a treatment: these chemotherapy drugs could cause peripheral nerve damage to mention only one of the health threats you may fear.
Last but not least, the corticosteroids are chemotherapy drugs based on hormones and meant to treat myeloma, lymphoma and leukemia besides other diseases. In addition to decreasing the speed of cell growth, they also have a positive impact on the body’s response to chemotherapy by reducing the possibility of developing allergic reactions or digestive side effects such as vomiting and nausea. Such medication doesn’t have to serve for cancer chemotherapy purposes exclusively, as there are other diseases that can be fought with it.
Are you being curious to find other articles have been written by the author? Just visit pride lift chair site where you can get useful information about med lift chairs you are looking for!