David S. Fischer, Henry J. Durivage, M. Tish Knobf, Nancy Beaulieu (Editors), “Lippincott´s Cancer Chemotherapy Handbook 2nd Ed”
Publisher: W. B. Saunders Company | English | January 2001 | 121 pages | 2.31 MB | ISBN: 0708675868 | RS.com
Chemotherapy is the use of cytotoxic agents to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy dates back to the 1500s, when heavy metals were used systemically to treat cancers, and severe toxicity and limited cure were reported. Since then, a vast spectrum of antineoplastic drugs has been discovered to achieve cure, control, and palliation of many cancers. The new and improved changes in the drug approval process of the Food and Drug Administration have speeded the entry of novel drugs that have made chemotherapy a vital part of the cancer armamentarium. Chemotherapy remains the primary treatment for some malignancies and an adjunct to other treatment modalities (surgery, radiation, and immunotherapy). Unlike surgery and radiation, chemotherapy is distinguished by its systemic effects. Most of the drugs are transported by the bloodstream; most do not cross the blood–brain barrier and therefore cannot reach the central nervous system.
