TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Pharmacology of Anticancer Drugs A1 - Chen, Eric X. A2 - Tannock, Ian F. A2 - Hill, Richard P. A2 - Bristow, Robert G. A2 - Harrington, Lea PY - 2016 T2 - The Basic Science of Oncology, 5e AB - In this chapter, general principles of pharmacology relevant to anticancer drugs are presented. The specific properties of the most important anticancer drugs in clinical use are reviewed, with emphasis on their structure, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity. In systemic cancer therapy, it is common to combine several drugs. Drugs in such combinations generally have different mechanisms of action, and different toxicity profiles, so that each drug can be administered at close to its maximally tolerated dose. Combination therapy may overcome tumor resistance to an individual drug, and is generally more efficacious than a single drug. It is also common to combine surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy in treatment. Adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation are usually given after the definitive management of the primary cancer through surgery. The purpose of adjuvant chemotherapy is to eradicate micrometastatic disease, and reduce the risk of tumor recurrence. Adjuvant chemotherapy is given for a defined period of time, generally 4 to 6 months. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy refers to chemotherapy given before the definitive management of the primary cancer, and is given to reduce the size of the primary tumor for better cosmetic and functional outcomes. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education Medical CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessbiomedicalscience.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1127473340 ER -