Definition:-
Antineoplastic or anticancer drugs are used for treating malignancies or cancerous growths. Either these drugs are used alone (chemotherapy) or in combination with surgery or radiation therapy.
The anti-neoplastic agents are classified as follows:
1) Alkylating agents
Nitrogen mustards:- Mechlorethamine (Mustine HCl) , Ifosfamide, Cyclophosphamide, Chlorambucil, and Melphalan
Ethylenimine:- Thiotepa
Alkyl sulfonate:- Busulfan
Nitrosoureas:- Carmustine (BCNU) and Lomustine (CCNU)
Triazine:- Dacarbazine (DTIC)
2) Antimetabolites
Folate antagonist:- Methotrexate (Mtx)
Purine antagonist:- 6-Mercaptopurine (6 -MP), 6-Thioguanine (6 -TG), and Azathioprine
Pyrimidine antagonist:- 5-Fluorouracil (5 -FU) and Cytarabine (cytosine arabinoside)
3) Natural Products
Vinca alkaloids:- Vincristine (Oncovin) and Vinblastine
Taxanes:- Paclitaxel and Docetaxel
Epipodophyllo toxin:- Etoposide
Camptothecin analogues:- Topotecan and Irinotecan
4) Antibiotics
Actinomycin D, Dactinomycin, Doxorubicin, Daunorubicin, Rubidomycin, Mitoxantrone, Bleomycin, Mitomycin C, and Mithramycin
5) Enzymes:-
Asparaginase (Elspar)
6) Miscellaneous
Hydroxyurea, Procarbazine, L -Asparaginase, Cisplatin, and Carboplatin
7) Hormones
Glucocorticoids:- Prednisolone
Estrogens:- Fosfestrol and Ethinylestradiol
Antiestrogen:- Tamoxifen
Antiandrogen:- Flutamide
5- reductase inhibitor:- Finasteride
GnRH analogues:- Nafarelin and Goserelin
Progestins:- Hydroxyprogesterone Acetate, etc.
8) Radioactive Isotopes
Sodium phosphate, Sodium iodide , and Radio gold solution
anti-neoplastic agents classification in Table format
