DNA strand-break inducer
- Free-radical cleavage — acts on DNA itself rather than on an enzyme
- Kills dividing cells
- Potent in germ-cell tumors and lymphoma
- Pulmonary fibrosis and skin toxicity
Drugs with this mechanism (1)
- Bleomycin — DNA-strand-breaking chemotherapy with little myelosuppression but major pulmonary toxicity.
Self-check
- Which tumor groups respond to free-radical DNA cleavage here?
Germ-cell tumors and lymphoma. - Which pulmonary toxicity limits this mechanism?
Pulmonary fibrosis.
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