Tag: Dna damage

With platinum-based drugs like cisplatin used in almost 50% of chemotherapy patients, understanding their mechanism is crucial for modern oncology. Is cisplatin chemotherapy or immunotherapy, and how does this foundational drug fit into the era of advanced cancer treatment options like immunotherapy?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) as a probable human carcinogen, based on evidence from animal studies. It is a toxic chemical that has garnered significant public attention due to its detection as an impurity in several common medications, leaving many to wonder what NDMA does to your body.

Alkylating agents were among the first effective anti-cancer drugs developed, with the first approved agent, mechlorethamine, stemming from military research in the 1940s. This broad class of chemotherapy includes numerous medications, raising the common question, “Which drug is an alkylator?”. These powerful medications function by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from replicating and leading to their death, but their use requires careful management due to potential side effects.

Metronidazole has been a cornerstone treatment for various infections since the 1960s, a testament to its unique and effective mechanism. To understand its power, one must delve into the biochemical process that explains how does metronidazole work to selectively target harmful microbes while leaving host cells largely unharmed. This powerful medicine is actually a prodrug, meaning it must be activated inside the pathogen to become a toxic agent.