Copy of `The furry monkey - Cancer treatment glossary`

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The furry monkey - Cancer treatment glossary Category: Health and Medicine > Cancer treatment drugs Date & country: 20/11/2007, UK Words: 50

Adriamycin
A chemotherapy drug (generic name doxorubicin) commonly used to treat Hodgkin's disease and other forms of lymphoma.

Analgesic
A pain relieving drug. Common types are Aspirin, Acetaminophen, and Ibuprofen.

Anastrazole (Arimidex)
Potent anti-oestrogen hormone used for breast cancer. An agent with a big future.

Antibiotic
A drug that kills or reduces the growth of bacterial infection.

Antiemetic
A drug that reduces or prevents nausea or vomiting.

Aspirin
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to deal with mild or moderate pain.

Bexxar
A monoclonal antibody in clinical trials as a treatment for B-cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Bleomycin
Agent widely used for testicular, head and neck as well as some of the pelvic and lung cancers.

Busulfan
Drug used in treatment of leukaemia.

Carboplatin
Important cisplatin derivative with fewer side-effects than the parent compound.

Chlorambucil
A tablet form of chemotherapy, often used in low grade lymphoma.

Cisplatin
One of the most important chemotherapy drugs, very widely used in testicular, ovarian, head and neck and other cancers. Intravenous only.

CMF
Standard drug reigmen used in the treatment of breast cancer (see cyclophosphamide, methodrexate and fluorouracil).

Co-codamol
Analgesic for mild or moderate pain.

Co-dydramol
Analgesic for mild or moderate pain.

Co-proxamol (Distalgesic)
Analgesic to deal with mild or moderate pain.

Codeine
Drug for stronger pain relief; best used in conjunction with a laxative.

Cyclophosphamide
Chemotherapy drug used in treatment of breast cancer (see CMF).

Cyproterone
Anti-androgen agent widely used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Dexamethasone
A potent steroid drug widely used for brain tumours; also for chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Diamorphine Hydrochloride
Opiate used in severe pain. Extremely valuable.

Diclofenac (Voltarol)
Anti-inflammatory agent used for moderate pain.

Dihydrocodeine (DF118)
Drug for stronger pain relief (codeine derivative); best used in conjunction with a laxative, as very constipating.

Domperidone
Anti-nausea drug.

Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
Chemotherapy drug, with a wide spectrum of activity. Toxic to the heart in high dosage. A part of the CHOP chemotherapy regimen used to treat NHL.

Etoposide
Chemotherapy drug used in treatment of testicular cancer, small-cell lung cancers and others.

Fluorouracil
Drug used in treatment of breast cancer (see CMF), large bowel cancer and many other indications. An anti-metabolite.

Goserelin
Drug for long-term palliation and symptom control of prostate cancer. Also used in some breast cancer patients.

Granisetron
Anti-nausea drug widely used for chemotherapy side effects.

Hydroxyurea
Drug used for some types of leukaemia.

Ibuprofen
Anti-inflammatory agent.

Interferon
Drug used in treatment of melanoma, myeloma, and chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Irinotecan
Newer drug used for large bowel cancers.

Melphalan
Chemotherapy drug; can be given by mouth.

Methotrexate
Chemotherapy drug used in treatment of breast cancer (see CMF), leukaemia and other sites.

Mitomycin C
Useful chemotherapy drug, often used as a radiosensitiser.

Morphine
Strong opiate drug.

Naproxen (Naprosyn)
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to deal with mild or moderate pain.

Nitrogen Mustard (Mustine)
Chemotherapy drug; a toxic agent but with impressive activity in lymphoma and certain types of solid cancer.

Ondansetron
Anti-nausea drug widely used for chemotherapy side effects.

Oxaliplatin
Newer platinum-derivative drug used in metastatic large-bowel cancer.

Paracetamol
Very valuable for mild to moderate pain.

Prednisone
A form of steroid therapy very widely used.

Progesterone
A female hormone preparation, used in breast cancer and uterine treatment.

STI-571 (Glivec)
Oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor - may well transform treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Tamoxifen
Highly active anti-oestrogen drug effective for breast cancer.

Taxol
Semi-natural chemotherapy drug, initially synthesised from the yew tree. One of the taxane group.

Taxotere
Important taxane agent used to treat several types of cancer.

Thalidomide
After a disastrous start, this drug is now finding a useful role, e.g. for drug-resistant myeloma.

Vincristine
Widely used agent, a 'spindle-cell poison' capable of stopping cancer cell division. Other similar agents: vinblastine, vindesine. Originally derived from the common periwinkle Catharantus roseus. Can cause peripheral neuropathy in some patients.