its related to cell cycle physiology
2006-06-30 00:18:31 · 5 answers · asked by reema 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Most chemotherapy drugs kills cells while they are dividing. Cancer cells divide faster then normal cells. That is why the chemo kills cancer cells more than normal cells. Other cells that divide fast are immune cells, blood cells, hair cells and the cells in the lining of the stomach. This is why the side effects of may chemo agents are immunosuppression, anemia, hair loss and mucositis/stomatitis.
Different chemo agents stop the cell cycle in different ways. Some are antimetabolites and block the use of vitamin necessary for cell division. Some bind to the tubules and don't allow the cell to divide. The mechanisms vary but the end result is the same. Cell death.
2006-06-30 06:03:36 · answer #1 · answered by mrodrx 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First you have to understand that chemotherapy poisons the body. Cancer cells by their nature are less resistant to poisoning than normal cells. The trick is to poison the body enough to kill the cancer cells without killing the host - look at the affects of chemotherapy and you can see how bad it is for you. Cancer, of course, is worse.
2006-06-30 13:04:04 · answer #2 · answered by smgray99 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
these drugs inhibit the further divisions of the tumour cell by blocking out the cell division mechanism.
2006-06-30 07:31:33 · answer #3 · answered by priyu 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It kills fast growing cells.
2006-06-30 13:38:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
by killing the defective cells
2006-06-30 07:21:51 · answer #5 · answered by raj 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋