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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 damage the DNA to prevent the cancerous cells from reproduction. Lots of cancer cases get treated with this kind of chemotherapy drugs, with the mention that doses are always kept low because of the risk to develop leukemia up to ten years after the cessation of the treatment. The platinum based drugs are sometimes included in the same category because they act in a very similar manner against the disease.
Antimetabolites are another distinct class of chemotherapy drugs. They are prescribed for the treatment of leukemia, breast tumors, ovary and intestinal cancers and their impact is not limited to the DNA but also extends to the RNA too.
The anthracyclines represent another variety of chemotherapy drugs being part of the antibiotic group. Their action is directed against enzymes that help in DNA replication which is why they prove efficient in a large number of cancer cases.
The category of inhibitors comes next. The topoisomerase inhibitors help in separating and copying strands of DNA being helpful for the treatment of leukemia besides many other types of cancer. With a more natural preponderance because of their herbal origin, mitotic inhibitors prevent the production of proteins necessary for the cancer cells growth. Even so, there is one huge risk that patients take when following such a treatment: these chemotherapy drugs may cause peripheral nerve damage to count just one the health threats you may fear.
Last but not least, the corticosteroids represent chemotherapy drugs based on hormones and meant to treat lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma besides other diseases. In addition to reducing the speed of cell growth, they also have a positive impact on the way the body reacts to chemotherapy by reducing the possibility of developing allergic reactions or digestive side effects such as vomiting and nausea. These types of drugs may be used as chemotherapy ones or not, depending on the purpose they are supposed to serve.
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