Cytotoxic chemotherapy

Cytotoxic chemotherapy is one of the chemotherapeutic methods which affect cancerous cells. Cytotoxic agents actively divide cells in the body, which treats cancerous cells; it has been established as one of the most important ways of cancer treatment in the world. Another way to treat cancer is by using cytotoxicity of certain plants. For instance, one of the methods suggested by doctors is the use of specific plants from Malasia and Thailand, which use cytotoxicity of plants to kill cancerous cells. Plant tissues contain lectins, which kill animal cells; cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents are developed to help in treatment of cancerous cells.

Cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents interfere with the ability of cancerous cells to divide. This kind of chemotherapy has become one of major therapeutic modalities; the cytotoxic agents divide cells in the body, preventing the dangerous affect of cancerous cells. Cytotoxic agents often include antimetabolites, antibiotics and alkylating agents. Cytotoxic therapy has proved to be successful in difficult cases, such as in advanced breast cancer. The course of chemotherapy includes several cycles, used in order to minimize possible side effects that the patient might have. Sometimes the use of one chemotherapy regimen may be followed by several different regimens to complete the process of medical treatment.

For treatment of several types of cancer the doctors often use paclitaxel, which is a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat patients with breast cancer and several other types of cancer, such as lung cancer, ovarian cancer, head and neck cancers. Paclitaxel is also tested to use for treatment of metastatic melanoma.