1.2  History of Cancer and Treatment Regimen

(a) Long history of treating cancer, but did not successfully begin until the invention of the microscope.

(b) Early 20th - surgery and radiation.

(c) World Wars began chemical warfare, and thus began chemotherapy - nitrogen mustards

(d) Currently, targeted cancer therapy

1.2.1 Common Treatments of Cancer

(a) Surgery (before 1955)

   • Direct removal of tumor

(b) Radiotherapy (1955~1965)

   • Using ionizing radiation to control malignant cells

(c) Chemotherapy (after 1965)

   • Using chemicals to kill actively dividing cells

(d) Immunotherapy and Gene therapy

1.2.2. Cancer Chemotherapy (After 1965)

Chemotherapy is usually the first choice for the treatment of many cancer types.

(a) Injection - Intrathecal, Intramuscular, Intravenous, Intra-arterial

(b) Orally

(c) Topically

1.2.3. The Classification of Anticancer Drugs and Drug Targets

The drugs are classified as below:

(a) According to chemical structure and resource of the drug:

• • • Alkylating Agents,
  • • Antimetabolite,
  • • Antibiotics,
  • • Plant Extracts，
  • • Hormones，
  • • Others

(b) According to biochemistry mechanisms of anticancer action:

• • Block nucleic acid biosynthesis

• • Direct influence the structure and function of  DNA   

• • Interfere transcription and block RNA synthesis   

• • Interfere protein synthesis and function

• • Influence hormone homeostasis

• • Others

(c) According to the cycle or phase specificity of the drug

• • Cell cycle nonspecific agents (CCNSA): drugs that are active throughout the cell cycle.

Alkylating Agents

Platinum Compounds

Antibiotics

• • Cell cycle specific agents (CCSA): drugs that act during a specific phase of the cell cycle.

 

S Phase Specific Drug:- Aantimetabolites, Topoisomerase Inhabitors

M Phase Specific Drug:- Vinca Alkaloids, Taxanes

G2 Phase Specific Drug:- Bbleomycin