Chemotherapy drugs are used to treat several types of diseases, particularly cancers of various sorts. They work by disrupting a cell's ability to copy its genetic material, or DNA, in order to divide. For this reason, they're most effective against rapidly-dividing cells. Since cancer cells are, by definition, rapidly dividing, they are susceptible to chemotherapy drugs. Other cells, however, like skin, the gut lining and hair cells also divide rapidly. For this reason, these cells may be affected by chemotherapeutics as well, resulting in some serious side effects.
Fluorouracil
Also called 5FU, fluorouracil is a colorless fluid that is used for intravenous cancer treatment. It may also be administered to localized skin cancers as a cream. 5FU falls into a class of chemotherapeutics called antimetabolites, meaning that it prevents cells from being able to divide at all, stalling the growth of cancer. According to Macmillan.org, a cancer support website, 5FU is used most frequently to treat breast and gastrointestinal tract cancers. Its side effects include fatigue, ulcerations of the lining of the mouth, anemia, and reduced immune function.
Paclitaxel
The pharmaceutical compound paclitaxel, marketed as Taxol, is actually isolated from a tree called the Pacific yew. It's most commonly used to treat ovarian, lung, and breast cancer, according to PubMed Health, a division of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Common side effects include those classically associated with chemotherapy; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of hair and mouth ulcers. Like many chemotherapy drugs, it's injected intravenously. Specifically, it prevents the formation of cellular structures called the microtubules, which form at the poles of a dividing cell and help to divide the replicated genetic material into two equal portions. Without microtubules, cells can't divide.
Cisplatin
Cisplatin, explains the website Cisplatin.org, is a platinum-containing chemotherapeutic used to treat lung cancer, ovarian cancer and certain blood cancers. It has an interesting mechanism of functioning, in that it actually prevents DNA, or genetic material, from replicating in the first place. The structure of DNA is a bit like a ladder; it consists of two strands attached to one another by rungs. The strands must separate for DNA to copy itself, which must occur before a cell can divide. Cisplatin lashes the two strands of DNA tightly together, which prevents replication and kills the cell. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, and hair loss. While the drug is generally administered intravenously, it can be placed into a body cavity to treat certain localized cancers, such as ovarian cancer.
