What are the disadvantages of anticancer drugs?

Common side effects of chemotherapy

• Low blood counts causes an increased possibility of developing infection or anemia.
• Tiredness.
• Mouth soreness.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Loss of appetite.
• Constipation or diarrhea.
• Hair loss.
• Skin changes or reactions.

Why anticancer drugs are toxic?

Toxicity or adverse effects of anticancer drugs include the following: Bone marrow depression due to damage for the growing stem cells causes a reduction in the white blood cell, platelet, and red cell counts. These, in turn, could cause susceptibility to infections, excessive bleeding, and anemia.

Are chemotherapy drugs carcinogenic?

Over 20 cancer chemotherapy drugs, including widely used drugs such as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-FU and etoposide, cause patients receiving them to excrete known human carcinogens in vomit, sweat, urine or faeces.

What are 3 adverse effects of antineoplastic drugs?

Long-term effects from antineoplastic drugs include:

• damage to the bone marrow.
• liver and kidney damage.
• damage to the lungs.
• damage and risks for the heart.
• damage to the reproductive system.
• temporary or permanent infertility.
• hearing impairment.
• sexual dysfunction.

What are the three classifications of anticancer drug?

The antineoplastic agents are not easily classified. Historically, they are categorized as (1) alkylating agents, (2) antimetabolites, (3) natural products, (4) hormones and antagonists, and (5) miscellaneous.

What are the three 3 classifications of anticancer drugs?

Historically, they are categorized as (1) alkylating agents, (2) antimetabolites, (3) natural products, (4) hormones and antagonists, and (5) miscellaneous.

Which drug is widely used as anticancer drug?

The most commonly prescribed anticancer drug in our study was chemotherapy in neoadjuvant setting, with docetaxel (21\%), cyclophosphamide (19\%), 5-Fluorouracil (18\%), and epirubicin (18\%) as the most frequently used anticancer drugs.

What is a anticancer drug?

Chemotherapy, also known as chemo or anticancer medication, is medication that is used to destroy, kill, shrink, or slow the growth of cancer cells. There are over 100 different chemo drugs.

How do immunosuppressive drugs affect cancer risk?

These “immunosuppressive” drugs make the immune system less able to detect and destroy cancer cells or fight off infections that cause cancer. Infection with HIV also weakens the immune system and increases the risk of certain cancers.

Do illicit drugs increase cancer risk?

For these reasons, chronic use of illicit drugs will increase cancer risk, especially when mixed with drugs for which there is clear carcinogenic potential, such as alcohol and tobacco.

What are the long-term effects of chemo drugs?

Some chemo drugs cause long-term side effects, like heart or nerve damage or fertility problems. Still, many people have no long-term problems from chemo. Ask your doctor if the chemo drugs you’re getting have long-term effects. While side effects can be unpleasant, they must be weighed against the need to kill the cancer cells.

Does phenacetin cause cancer?

Drug Abuse and Cancer: What You Should Know. Among the list of substances commonly mixed with illicit drugs, phenacetin is the most carcinogenic. This white, crystalline powder was formerly used as a painkiller in the United States, but case reports show that it is linked to various cancers of the renal, pelvis, and the ureter.