Final answer:
Cyclophosphamide and Ifosfamide are alkylating agents that cause DNA cross-linking, inhibiting DNA replication and causing cell death, mainly used to treat various cancers. Toxicities include myelosuppression and hemorrhagic cystitis, among others.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cyclophosphamide and Ifosfamide are chemotherapy drugs that belong to the class of alkylating agents, specifically the nitrogen mustards. Their mechanism involves the alkylation of DNA, which leads to the cross-linking of DNA strands, thereby inhibiting DNA replication and RNA transcription. This results in apoptosis or the death of rapidly dividing cancer cells. Cyclophosphamide is metabolized in the liver to form its active metabolites.
Clinical uses of Cyclophosphamide include treatment of various cancers like lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and solid tumors such as breast cancer. Ifosfamide is used similarly for testicular cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, and lymphoma. Both drugs demonstrate prominent toxicities including myelosuppression, leading to a decrease in blood cell counts; hemorrhagic cystitis, which is bleeding in the bladder potentially caused by the toxic metabolite acrolein; and an increased risk of secondary malignancies.
The combination of chemotherapy drugs, such as Doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and docetaxel, is often used to treat various cancers. These combinations aim to target cancer cells more effectively while trying to minimize damage to normal cells.