An antineoplastic medicines is one that is used to prevent or treat the growth and spread of tumors or malignant cells; in other words, cancer. Antineoplastic combinations are two or more medicines used to treat cancer combined together in one product.
Combinations of antineoplastic drugs are usually more effective than single agents alone because each agent has a different way of targeting the way cancer grows. Two or more drugs, each with a different method of action, may be used in an antineoplastic combination.
Research has shown that combination treatment increases tumor response (tumor shrinkage), survival rates, and prolongs the time it takes before cancer progresses. However, the risk of side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, hair loss, and decreased white cell counts, is significantly increased. Combination treatment may also have a bigger negative impact on other psychological and social factors that contribute to a sense of quality of life. Trials have not yet shown if sequential treatment with different single agents is as effective or more effective than combination treatment.
