Oral Anticancer Therapies

Cancer is a common and diverse disease that has been studied for decades. Some tumors have rapid growth while some tumors progress slowly. Researchers have identified different types of anticancer drugs that control cell division and multiplication. But there is an urge to identify new anticancer agents, as tumor cells somehow, succeed in developing resistance. Some anticancer drugs target uncontrolled dividing cells and cause cell cycle arrest while some drugs are used as targeted agents that earmark the mutated receptors and block tumor formation. This chapter describes the primary targets of anticancer drugs, including enzymes involved in cellular replication and particular mutations in receptors leading to tumor development. Targeted drug therapy works more efficiently and produces remission. All anticancer drugs possess teratogenic effects.