Final answer:
Interfering with neoplastic cells aims to suppress their growth by damaging their DNA or inhibiting DNA synthesis, thus preventing cancer cell replication and tumor growth. Chemotherapy drugs typically stop mitosis and alter cell cycle regulation for this purpose, while managing toxicity to the patient.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of interfering with neoplastic cells, which are cancerous cells, is to suppress growth. There are several strategies to achieve this:
- Damage the DNA of the cancerous cells to prevent them from replicating.
- Inhibit DNA synthesis in neoplastic cells, thereby stopping the replication that allows tumor growth.
To achieve these goals, chemotherapy drugs may:
- Stop mitosis, or cell division, to halt the cancer's progression.
- Target specific phases of the cell cycle to prevent unregulated cell divisions.
- Alter the function of proteins like p53 to allow for DNA repair or to prevent unregulated cell growth.
However, because cancer cells are similar to normal cells, chemotherapy needs to balance effectiveness and toxicity.