Table 1.

Classification of anticancer drugs and their side effects.

Anticancer Drugs	Drug Class	Mode of Action	Side Effects
Doxorubicin Epirubicin Camptothecin	Antitumor antibiotics	Binds to DNA and prevent DNA synthesis. They cause changes in the chromatin structure via inhibition of topoisomerase II.	Vomiting/nausea, weight loss, alopecia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, anorexia, and impaired immunity.
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)	Alkylating agent Anti-neoplastic drug	Result in cross-linkage in DNA strands. Inhibit DNA biosynthesis and cell division.	Severe vomiting/nausea, neurotoxicity, pulmonary fibrosis, immune suppression, and alopecia.
Paclitaxel (taxol) Docetaxel (Taxotere)	Plant alkaloids Taxane class	Hinders microtubule disassembly and increase microtubule assembly. Terminate cell division in metaphase.	Leutropenia, hypersensitivity, anaphylaxis, thrombocytopenia, myalgias, fatigue, neutropenia, arthralgias, stomatitis, and Peripheral neuropathy
Vincristine	Vinca alkaloids Mitotic inhibitor	Binds to mitotic tubules and prevent the formation of microtubule in the mitotic spindle, inhibits mitosis I metaphase.	Mucositis, leukopenis, weight change, neurotoxicity, constipation, fatigue, secondary neoplasm, and thrombocytopenia
5-Fluorouracil	Pyrimidine antimetabolite	Inhibits enzyme formation needed for the synthesis of DNA.	Thrombocytopenia, peripheral neuropathy, mucositis, anaemia, neutropenia, neurotoxicity, cerebellar ataxia, and skin changes
Cisplatin Carboplatin	Platinum drugs	Inhibits the synthesis of DNA and prevents cell replication.	Ototoxicity, neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, myelosuppression, neutropenia, and delayed hypersensitivity
Arimidex	aromatase inhibitor	Hinders aromatase, which intermediates transformation of androstenedione to estrone, which is then converted to estradiol.	Pain, mild nausea, vaginal dryness, osteoporosis, chest pain, increased risk for fractures, oedema, weakness, mild diarrhea, headache, and arthralgias
Tamoxifen	Selective estrogen receptor modulator	Strives with estrogen for receptor binding	Vaginal discharge, altered menses, amenorrhea, cough oedema, bone pain, musculoskeletal pain, dizziness, and endometrial hyperplasia.
Bevacizumab	Monoclonal antibody biological modifier	Binds to HER2 positive cancer cells and bring them up to be destroyed by the immune system. Cell proliferation inhibition.	Weakness, pain, flu-like symptoms, chills, diarrhea, abdominal pain, back pain, anorexia, congestive heart failure, and left ventricular cardiac dysfunction