Types of Chemotherapy - Simplified Classification
Types of Chemotherapy – Simplified Classification
Chemotherapy is classified based on drug action, cell cycle, timing, intent, phase, intensity, and number of drugs.
A. Based on Mechanism / Drug Class
| Type |
Examples |
| Alkylating agents |
Cyclophosphamide, Cisplatin, Busulfan |
| Antimetabolites |
Methotrexate, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), Gemcitabine |
| Antitumor antibiotics |
Doxorubicin, Bleomycin, Daunorubicin |
| Plant alkaloids |
Vincristine, Paclitaxel, Vinblastine |
| Hormonal agents |
Tamoxifen, Letrozole, Prednisone |
| Targeted therapy |
Imatinib, Rituximab, Trastuzumab |
B. Based on Cell Cycle Action
| Type |
Action |
Examples |
| Cell-cycle specific |
Acts in S or M phase |
Antimetabolites (S phase: Methotrexate, 5-FU), Plant alkaloids (M phase: Vincristine, Paclitaxel) |
| Cell-cycle non-specific |
Acts in any phase |
Alkylating agents (Cyclophosphamide, Cisplatin), Antitumor antibiotics (Doxorubicin) |
C. Based on Timing
| Type |
Purpose |
Examples |
| Neoadjuvant |
Before surgery – shrink tumor |
Used in breast cancer to reduce tumor size before surgery |
| Adjuvant |
After surgery – destroy residual cells |
Common in colon cancer after surgical resection |
| Concurrent |
With radiotherapy |
Head and neck cancers treated with chemoradiation |
D. Based on Intent / Purpose
| Type |
Aim |
Examples |
| Curative |
Complete cure |
Testicular cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma |
| Palliative |
Symptom relief |
Advanced lung or pancreatic cancer |
| Maintenance |
Prevent relapse |
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia after achieving remission |
| Salvage |
After treatment failure/relapse |
Relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma |
E. Based on Phase of Treatment (Leukemia)
| Phase |
Purpose |
Examples |
| Induction |
Achieve remission |
Vincristine + Prednisone + Asparaginase (in ALL) |
| Consolidation |
Destroy residual disease |
High-dose Methotrexate, Cytarabine |
| Maintenance |
Sustain remission |
Daily 6-Mercaptopurine + weekly Methotrexate |
F. Based on Treatment Intensity
| Type |
Description |
Examples |
| Standard-dose |
Conventional dosing |
CHOP regimen for non-Hodgkin lymphoma |
| Dose-intensive |
Higher dose / shorter interval |
Hyper-CVAD for aggressive lymphomas/leukemias |
| High-dose |
Very high dose |
High-dose Methotrexate in osteosarcoma |
| Myeloablative therapy |
Destroys bone marrow before transplant |
Busulfan + Cyclophosphamide before stem cell transplant |
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