Other names: anticancer combinations, antitumor combinations, chemotherapy combinations
An antineoplastic drug is one that is used to prevent or treat the growth and spread of tumors or malignant cells; in other words, cancer.
Combinations of antineoplastic drugs are usually more effective than single agents alone because each agent has a different way of targeting the way cancer grows. Two or more drugs, each with a different method of action, may be used in an antineoplastic combination.
Research has shown that combination treatment increases tumor response (tumor shrinkage), survival rates, and prolongs the time it takes before cancer progresses. However, the risk of side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, hair loss, and decreased white cell counts, is significantly increased. Combination treatment may also have a bigger negative impact on other psychological and social factors that contribute to a sense of quality of life. Trials have not yet shown if sequen...