(Mode of Action of Drugs)

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9.13

Chemotherapy of

Malignancy

Cancer is a disease of cells characterized
by a shift in the control mechanism which
govern cell proliferation and differentiation
and the anticancer agents either kill cancer

cells or modify their growth. The various

anticancer agents are classified according

to their mode of action as in table 9.13.1.

Chemotherapy of

Malignancy

Table 9.13.1: Classification of anticancer agents.

I. Alkylating agents

Cyclophosphamide (CYCLOXAN) 2-3 mg/kg/day oral; 10-15 mg/kg IV every 7-10 days

Mesna (UROMITEXAN) 20% of a dose of anticancer agent IV

Chlorambucil (LEUKERAN) 0.1-0.2 mg/kg daily for 3-6 weeks then 2 mg daily

for maintenance

Busulfan (MYLERAN) 4-8 mg/day, 1-3 mg/day for maintenance

Lomustine (LUSTIN) 120-130 mg/m^2 BSA single dose orally every 6

weeks

Thio-TEPA (THIOTEPA) 0.3-0.4 mg/kg IV every 1-4 week interval

II. Antimetabolites

Methotrexate (ONCOTRAX) 15-30 daily for 5 days orally repeat after one week

or 20-40 mg/m^2 BSA IM/IV twice weekly.

6-Mercaptopurine (ZYPURIN) 2.5 mg/kg daily

5-Fluorouracil (FLURACIL) 12 mg/kg OD for 4 successive days IV, 10-15 mg/

kg/week maintenance

Cytarabine (Cytosine arabinoside; CYTABIN) 1.5-3.0 mg/kg IV BD for 5-10 days

III. Cytotoxic antibiotics

Dactinomycin (Actinomycin-D) (COSMEGEN) 15 μg/kg IV daily for 5 days

Doxorubicin (ONCODRIA) 60-75 mg/m^2 BSA every 3 wks slow IV

Bleomycin (ONCOBLEO) 30 mg twice weekly IV/IM

Mitomycin-C (MITODUS) 2-10 mg/m^2 BSA IV twice weekly

Contd....