24.03 Drugs used in Cancer

Anticancer drugs are classified according to their sites of action at specific points in the biosynthetic pathways of important biomolecules. Some drugs are effective during specific parts of the cell cycle and are used in the treatment of high growth fraction malignancies such as blood cancers. The antimetabolites typify this group of drugs. Other anticancer drugs are cell cycle non specific and are effective in the treatment of low growth fraction malignancies such as solid tumours. The alkylating agents are prime examples of this drug class.