The common function of all anticancer drug is to decrease the growth rate i.e. cell division of the cancer cells. The ability of anticancer drugs is to facilitate the acquisition of antitumor immunity by tumor bearers.
The anticancer drugs which are available work with a specific mechanism which may vary in their effects on different types of normal and cancer cells. There are various forms of cancer hence there are different kinds of anticancer molecules. The effectivity of many anticancer drugs is limited by their toxic effect on normal healthy cells.
Mechanism of anticancer drugs:
Anticancer drugs work according to the three principles:
By directly damaging the genetic material i.e. DNA of all the cancerous cells.
By inhibiting the synthesis of new DNA strands to stop further replication of the genetic material. Folic acid, heterocyclic bases, and nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA. Some of anticancer drugs block the formation of these building blocks to stop the synthesis of newDNA strand.
By stopping the process of mitosis. Mitosis facilitates the process of cell division. Mitotic spindle plays very important role in process of mitosis as they help to split the new DNA strands to initiate the cell division. An anticancer drug disrupts the formation of these spindle fibers to alter the process of cell division.
