6. Basic concepts of chemotherapy
- Polychemotherapy = simultaneous use of multiple chemo drugs
- The term is not consistently used, even by me
- Recently, we have moved to preferring to use multiple chemo drugs, so the term is kind of reduntant
- Mode of actions
- Induce DNA damage
- Inhibit DNA repair mechanisms
- Inhibit metabolism
- For example nucleotide synthesis
- Inhibit mitosis
- Inhibit neo-vascularization
- Commonly used drugs
- Platinum-based drugs
- Cisplatin
- Very nephrotoxic – renal function must be measured before use
- Carboplatin
- Less nephrotoxic – sometimes used as an alternative to cisplatin in case of poor kidney function
- 5-Fluorouracil (FU)
- Taxanes
- Commonly used regimens
- FLOT
- 5-FU
- Leucovorin
- Oxaliplatin
- DoceTaxel
- FOLFOX
- FOLinic acid (leucovorin)
- 5-FU
- Oxaliplatin
- FOLFIRI
- FOLinic acid
- 5-FU
- IRInotecan
- ECX
- Epirubicin
- Cisplatin
- Capecitabine
- Gem/cis
- XELOX
- Capecitabine + oxaliplatin