What do different cancer drugs do? | Explained

A major new investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism published by The Hindu has revealed that cancer drugs shipped around the world to more than 100 countries have failed quality tests. But what are these drugs and how are they used?Cancer is a disease characterised by uncontrolled cell growth.

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It is caused by mutations in genes disrupting or inhibiting the normal ways in which cells divide or die. This causes cancerous cells to develop — and when a mass of cancerous cells grows, it can form a tumour.Chemotherapy drugs disrupt this process, and these medicines have transformed the landscape of cancer treatment, improving outcomes for millions of patients. The six types of drug in our investigation — ?cisplatin, oxaliplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, methotrexate and leucovorin —are all chemotherapy treatments.While there are differences in exactly how these drugs work, most share a common goal: to target and kill cancer cells while minimising harm to normal cells.

What is cisplatin?