Final answer:
Investigators select chemotherapy drugs for combination regimens primarily due to their differing mechanisms of action, which helps reduce toxicity to normal cells and prevent drug resistance. The use of multiple drugs together as combination chemotherapy is essential in the effective treatment of various types of cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Choosing Chemotherapy Drugs for Cancer Treatment
When designing a combination regimen of chemotherapy drugs for testing against a particular cancer, investigators select drugs primarily because they have different mechanisms of action that can target cancer cells effectively. As cancer is comprised of many different types, and cancerous cells can be similar to normal cells, it is imperative to use a varied approach to reduce toxicity to normal cells and delay or prevent the development of drug resistance by cancerous cells. The key to successful combination chemotherapy is using multiple drugs simultaneously to increase the chances of killing all cancer cells and achieving remission or cure.
Chemotherapy drugs, which can include cytotoxic drugs and targeted therapies, work by interfering with cell division. They are typically given as part of a standardized regimen with the intent to either cure the cancer or prolong life and reduce symptoms. Notable breakthroughs in combination chemotherapy, such as the POMP regimen for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), have shown the effectiveness of using several anticancer drugs together, which has led to significant improvements in the cure rates of certain cancers.