Chemotherapy is a course of drugs designed to stop the growth of cancer cells and shrink tumors. It can be used following other treatments, such as surgery to remove a tumor, to prevent recurrence of the cancer. A number of chemotherapy drugs have been developed to target essential cellular processes that cancer cells need to grow and divide, while others damage the cells, leading to cancer cell death.
Imatinib
Imatinib, which is also marketed under the name Gleevec, is a chemotherapy agent that disrupts signalling within the cancer cells. All cells have proteins that become activated by specific factors that signal for cell division. Often these proteins become mutated in cancer so they are always active, and the cell is constantly signaled to divide, leading to the formation of a tumor. Imatinib works by preventing the transmission of proliferative signals within the cancer cell to stop tumor growth.
Imatinib has a number of mild side effects. According to the University of Pennsylvania, the most common side effects include nausea, aches and cramps, skin problems, swelling of the legs, and diarrhea.
Teniposide
Teniposide is an anti-cancer drug classified as a topoisomerase inhibitor. Topoisomerases are proteins which work to relax the DNA, an essential step in cell division. Without functional topoisomerases, the DNA within the cell cannot be duplicated, stopping the process of cell division. Therefore, teniposide functions to stop the growth of the tumor.
There are a number of side effects of teniposide. According to Drugs.com, the most common side effects include diarrhea, rashes and skin problems, nausea, and hair loss. More severe side effects that require immediate medical attention may include allergic reactions, abnormal heartbeat, fatigue, or severe nausea.
Vincristine
Vincristine is a chemotherapeutic agent that belongs to a family of drugs called vinca alcoloids, which work by disrupting the protein skeleton of the cell. Cells have a series of proteins that support the structure of the cell, which is called the cytoskeleton. The cytoskeleton is constantly being broken down as reassembled as the cell moves, and the coordination of several proteins is required for this process. Vincristine works by preventing the function of a key component of the cytoskeleton, causing the cell to collapse.
Vincristine targets normal cells as well as cancer cells, so it can cause a number of side effects. According to the University of Kentucky, some common side effects of vincristine are constipation, nerve problems, and hair loss or alopecia.
