Many cancer patients choose to undergo medical treatment, and chemotherapy is one of the most popular and effective. Chemotherapy uses various drugs that are administered to the patients orally or intravenously; usually, patients are given a combination of multiple drugs during their chemotherapy treatment. Treatment works by preventing cancerous cells from reproducing and spreading to other parts of the body. However, the dosage varies depending on the patient's type of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, three types of chemotherapy drugs are mitotic inhibitors, antimetabolites and alkylating agents.
Mitotic Inhibitors
According to the American Cancer Society, mitotic inhibitors prevent cancer cells from reproducing by stopping mitosis and inhibiting enzymes from protein production. Four types of mitotic inhibitors are used as chemotherapy drugs: taxanes, epothilones, vinca alkaloids and estramustine. Examples of taxanes are paclitaxel and docetaxel. The drug ixabepilone is classified as an epothilone. Types of vinca alkaloids include vinblastine, vincristine and vinorelbine.
Antimetabolites
Another type of chemotherapy drug, antimetabolites, works by interfering with DNA and RNA growth with building block substitution. According to the American Cancer Society, the antimetabolites disrupt cell growth during the S phase of the cell cycle. Examples of antimetabolites used in chemotherapy include pemetrexed, fludarabine, cytarabine, gemcitabine, methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, capecitabine and 5-fluorouracil.
Alkylating Agents
A third type of chemotherapy drug, alkylating agents, interferes with cell reproduction during all stages of the cell cycle. According to the American Cancer Society, alkylating agents damage DNA, preventing cancer cells from reproducing. Five types of alkylating agents are used for chemotherapy: nitrogen mustards, nitrosoureas, alkyl sulfonates, triazines and ethylenimines. Examples of ethylenimines are thiotepa and altretamine. Dacarbazine and temozolomide are classified as triazines. Busulfan is a type of alkyl sulfonate. Types of nitrosoureas are streptozocin, carmustine and lomustine. Nitrogen mustards include mechlorethamine, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and melphalan.
