Antineoplastic agent
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Antineoplastic agent
Antineoplastic agents, also known as cancer drugs or chemotherapy drugs, are a group of pharmaceuticals that interfere with the growth and proliferation of cancer cells.
Pronunciation
The term "antineoplastic" is pronounced as an-tee-neo-plas-tic.
Etymology
The term "antineoplastic" is derived from the Greek words "anti" meaning against, "neo" meaning new, and "plastic" meaning formation. Thus, the term literally means against new formation, referring to the action of these drugs against the formation of new cancer cells.
Types of Antineoplastic Agents
There are several types of antineoplastic agents, each with a different mechanism of action. These include:
- Alkylating agents: These drugs work by damaging the DNA of cancer cells to prevent them from reproducing.
- Antimetabolites: These drugs mimic nutrients that the cancer cells need to grow, thereby preventing cell division.
- Antitumor antibiotics: These drugs interfere with the enzymes involved in DNA replication.
- Topoisomerase inhibitors: These drugs interfere with the action of topoisomerases, enzymes that help separate DNA strands during replication.
- Mitotic inhibitors: These drugs prevent cancer cells from undergoing mitosis, or cell division.
Related Terms
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