Antineoplastics
What are Antineoplastics?
Antineoplastics or anticancer drugs affect the process of cell division i.e. are antiproliferative. They damage the DNA and initiate apoptosis, preventing the development and spread of neoplastic cells.
They also affect rapidly dividing normal cells, therefore are likely to suppress the bone marrow, suppress growth, impair healing, cause sterility and cause hair loss.
Antineoplastic drugs are medications used to treat cancer. Other names for antineoplastic drugs are anticancer, chemotherapy, chemo, cytotoxic, or hazardous drugs. These drugs come in many forms, including liquids or pills.
Examples of antineoplastic antibiotics include doxorubicin, daunorubicin, bleomycin, mitomycin, and dactinomycin, all of which are derived from species of Streptomyces bacteria. While these drugs may have antibacterial activity, they are generally too dangerous and toxic for that use.
anticancer drug, any drug that is effective in the treatment of malignant, or cancerous, disease. There are several major classes of anticancer drugs; these include alkylating agents, antimetabolites, natural products, and hormones.
Antineoplastic chemotherapy drugs contain chemicals that kill cells that rapidly divide, including cancer cells. Doctors use these medications to help treat some types of cancer. There are many types of antineoplastic drugs.
Types of Antineoplastics
- alkylating agents
- anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies
- anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies (immune checkpoint inhibitors)
- antibiotics/antineoplastics
- antimetabolites
- antineoplastic combinations
- antineoplastic detoxifying agents
- antineoplastic interferons
- BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors
- bispecific antibodies





