Download Cancer drugs

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