Chemotherapy

The effectiveness of pills in chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the treatment which is used to kill the cancer cells. The drugs of the chemotherapy are given to the body in several ways. One of the common methods of taking chemotherapy drugs is through drip or injection. But this process has a disadvantage. For this one has to stay in the hospital during the period one is given the dose. In order to avoid this inconvenience recently chemotherapy pills are invented.

There are different types of chemotherapy pills composed of different types of chemical compound and acting on different chemical components of the cancer cell. The chemical compounds of the chemotherapy pills acts on various phases of the cycle of the cells and thus destroys the cancer cell completely. The different drugs act on a specific cell type and on specific process. The cancer specialist having enough knowledge about the types of drug acting on specifics cell prescribes the adequate medicine.

The most common component or the agent which the chemotherapy pills contain is the alkalating agents. This agent consists of the components like cisplatin, carboplatin, ifosfamide, temezolomide, melphalan, chlorambucil, busulfan etc. This agent destroys the DNA in order to hinder in the further production of the cancer cells. This agent works in all the phases of the cycle of the cell i.e. they are non phase specific. This agent is mainly used to deal with the cancer like lungs cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, chronic leukemia, Hodgkin disease, non Hodgkin lymphoma and other such cancer.

Nitrosoureas is yet another component that the chemotherapy pills contain. They work in a very similar way like alkalating agent. It consists of the components like streptozocin, lomustine and carmustine. They react and produce obstacle in the work of the enzymes that helps in the repair and growth of the DNA. Like akalating agent this component is also non phase specific and unlike many other cancer drugs this agent is able to carry itself to the brain through blood. It is for this reason this drug is used in the treatment of the brain tumor. It is also used in the treatment of malignant melanoma, multiple myeloma and other such cancers.

Another common agent of chemotherapy pills is antimetabolites. This type of drugs hinders the growth of both RNA and DNA. This drug consists of the copmponents like pemetrexed, cytarabine, gemcitabine, 5-flurouracil, 6- mercaptopurine etc. This drug is phase specific. It destroys the cancer cell during the s phase of the cell. This drug is mainly used for the treatment of tumors in the breast, gastrointestinal tract, ovary, and leukemia.

There are other chemotherapy pills which consist of Anthracyclines and other related drugs. These agents are used in the treatment of tumors as they are anti tumor agent. They react with the enzyme which helps in the reproduction of DNA. Like the first two type of agent it also works in all the phases of the cell cycle. It is used in the treatment of various types of cancer.

Apart from these agents there are many agents who help in the treatment of cancer but at the same time these chemotherapy pills also have many side effects.