Principles of Cancer Cell Growth and Chemotherapy
Start with the big picture
Tumor growth is not constant: as tumor burden rises, growth slows and a larger share of cells may become quiescent. The growth fraction—the proportion of actively dividing cells—therefore helps explain why cytotoxic drugs can be more effective against early, microscopic tumors. Some agents act in defined cell-cycle phases, while others can act across phases, including G0. Chemotherapy follows log-kill kinetics, removing a proportion of cancer cells with each dose, so repeated treatment and suitable scheduling matter. The lesson also introduces combination therapy, resistance mechanisms, toxicities in rapidly dividing normal tissues, sanctuary sites, and approaches such as adjuvant, neoadjuvant, maintenance, and metronomic therapy. Targeted and biologic agents are considered in relation to specific molecular abnormalities.
What you'll learn
- Explain how tumor burden relates to growth rate and growth fraction.
- Distinguish cell-cycle-specific from cell-cycle-nonspecific agents.
- Describe log-kill kinetics and the role of treatment scheduling.
- Identify major mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance and dose-limiting toxicity.
- Compare key chemotherapy strategies and the challenge of sanctuary sites.
Continue your study
Work through the complete notes and reinforce the topic with the study tools available in the full lesson.
