Antineoplastic resistance
Antineoplastic Resistance
Antineoplastic resistance (pronunciation: an-ti-ne-o-plas-tic re-sis-tance) is a phenomenon in which cancer cells develop resistance to antineoplastic agents, thereby reducing the effectiveness of cancer treatments.
Etymology
The term "antineoplastic" is derived from the Greek words "anti" meaning against, and "neoplasia" meaning new growth. The term "resistance" comes from the Latin "resistentia", meaning to resist.
Definition
Antineoplastic resistance refers to the ability of cancer cells to survive and proliferate despite the presence of antineoplastic agents. This resistance can be intrinsic (present before treatment) or acquired (developed during treatment). It is a major challenge in oncology, as it can lead to treatment failure and disease progression.
Mechanisms of Resistance
There are several mechanisms through which cancer cells can develop antineoplastic resistance. These include:
- Drug efflux: Cancer cells can express proteins that pump antineoplastic agents out of the cell, reducing their intracellular concentration.
- Drug inactivation: Cancer cells can produce enzymes that metabolize and inactivate antineoplastic agents.
- DNA repair: Cancer cells can enhance their ability to repair DNA damage caused by antineoplastic agents.
- Cell cycle alterations: Cancer cells can alter their cell cycle to avoid the cytotoxic effects of antineoplastic agents.
Related Terms
- Chemotherapy: A type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
- Oncology: The study of cancer and its treatments.
- Pharmacoresistance: The resistance of disease-causing organisms to drugs that were initially effective.
- Multidrug resistance: A condition in which cancer cells become resistant to a wide range of antineoplastic agents.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Antineoplastic resistance
- Wikipedia's article - Antineoplastic resistance
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