Anticancer drugs are pharmacological agents used to treat malignant disease by killing cancer cells or arresting their proliferation, used alone or in combination with surgery, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. They encompass several mechanistic classes: conventional cytotoxic chemotherapeutics that damage DNA or dis…
Anticancer drugs are pharmacological agents used to treat malignant disease by killing cancer cells or arresting their proliferation, used alone or in combination with surgery, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. They encompass several mechanistic classes: conventional cytotoxic chemotherapeutics that damage DNA or disrupt mitosis, including alkylating agents, antimetabolites, and microtubule-targeting compounds; molecularly targeted agents such as kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies directed at specific oncogenic drivers; hormonal therapies; and immunotherapeutics that mobilise the host immune response. A central pharmacological challenge is achieving selective cytotoxicity, exploiting differences between tumour and normal cells to maximise efficacy while limiting toxicity. Strategies to widen this therapeutic window include rational drug design, the discovery of natural-product-derived cytotoxins, and advanced delivery systems such as stimulus-responsive nanomedicines engineered to release their payload within the acidic tumour microenvironment, thereby concentrating drug at the tumour and sparing healthy tissue. Resistance, whether intrinsic or acquired, remains a major determinant of treatment failure and motivates combination regimens and biomarker-guided selection. Research in this area examines the selective cytotoxicity of candidate compounds against cancer cell lines, pH-sensitive nanocarrier formulations for solid tumours, and the chemopreventive potential of agents such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, contributing to the development and refinement of effective antineoplastic therapy.
9 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 9 articles above have been cited 276 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Anti Cancer Drugs, linking to each citing work.