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Patient and Family Resource Centre Pavilion A, Room 200, local 5930 or 5927 HEALTH INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS FOLLOWED IN THE GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY SERVICE Cancer drugs FROM THE BC CANCER AGENCY : Overview Cancer drugs such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and other biological or genetic treatments, destroy cancer cells. Sometimes the goal of cancer drugs is to cure, and when cure is not possible, cancer drugs can often prolong life or improve quality of life. Drugs can work in a number of ways to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs (cytotoxic) can slow down cancer cells from growing or multiplying. They can also promote these cells to die naturally (apoptosis). [Because chemotherapy effects dividing cells it can harm some of the normally dividing healthy cells in the same way, causing side effects. However because cancer cells divide more quickly than normal cells, chemortherapy will have more effects on the cancer cells than normal cells.] Hormone drugs usually stop your body’s hormones from helping some cancers to continue to grow. Biological therapy involves drugs which help the immune system in your body to fight against cancer. Targeted drug therapy includes drugs which are designed to attack only certain [biologic processes] found mainly in cancer cells. These drugs tend to cause less harm to healthy cells, thus causing less side effects. Cancer drugs can: Cure specific types of cancer Shrink tumours prior to surgery or radiation therapy Prevent cancers from spreading Control the spread of cancer when a tumour cannot be completely removed by surgery or radiation therapy Relieve symptoms such as pain Stop or slow tumour growth For more information please talk to your doctor or visit the BC Cancer Agency website: www.bccancer.bc.ca > Patient/Public info > Cancer treatment > Cancer drugs Search tips: Look for a drug by the generic name or trade name. Look under: drugs, treatments, medicinal drugs, medicines, medications, prescription medications, drug formulary, drug therapy See over for other useful resources → Please note: The information provided by the Library is for educational purposes. The Library staff are not medical professionals and cannot diagnose illness or recommend treatment. We encourage you to discuss the information we provide with your doctor or healthcare professional. March 2007 Patient and Family Resource Centre Pavilion A, Room 200, local 5930 or 5927 USEFUL WEBSITES BC CANCER AGENCY (BCCA) The BC Cancer Agency’s mandate covers the spectrum of cancer care from prevention and screening, to diagnosis, treatment, and through to rehabilitation. www.bccancer.bc.ca > Patient/Public info > Cancer treatment > Cancer drugs CANCER CARE ONTARIO (CCO) Cancer Care Ontario is an umbrella organization that steers and coordinates Ontario's cancer services and prevention efforts. www.cancercare.on.ca > Cancer drugs www.cancercare.on.ca > Standards and guidelines > Drug Formulary > Drug information for patients CANCER CARE NOVA SCOTIA (CCNS) Cancer Care Nova Scotia is a program of the Nova Scotia Department of Health. www.cancercare.ns.ca > Drug therapy information NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE OF CANADA (NCIC) The information contained in this website is intended for use by NCIC Clinical Trials Group members at participating centres. If you are a cancer patient, your doctor can explain how this information applies to you, or you can call the Cancer Information Service of the Canadian Cancer Society at 1-888-939-3333. Clinical trials group: www.ctg.queensu.ca/ > Current trials DRUG COVERAGE.CA A guide to reimbursement: www.drugcoverage.ca/ CANADIAN AGENCY FOR DRUGS AND TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTH CDR The Common drug review (CDR) conducts objective, rigorous reviews of the clinical and cost effectiveness of new drugs, and provides formulary listing recommendations to the publicly funded drug plans in Canada (except Québec). www.cadth.ca/index.php/en/cdr NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE The US Government's main agency for cancer research and training. Cancer treatment: www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/treatment Drug dictionary: www.cancer.gov/drugdictionary/ MEDLINEPLUS (Developed by the National Library of Medicine) Drugs & supplements: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY www.cancer.org > Managing your cancer experience - Select a topic: “Make treatment decisions” > Making treatment decisions > More resources: Guide to cancer drugs March 2007