List of Cancer Treating Drugs: A Guide To Common Cancer Medications

This list of cancer treating drugs details the function, uses, and side effects of fifteen medications prescribed for various types of cancer.

Breast Cancer Drugs

These drugs are among those commonly used in the treatment of breast cancer:

Cytoxan Oral (cyclophosphamide)–a chemotherapy drug that also treats leukemia, ovarian cancer, and lymphoma.

Side effects: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, hair loss

Warnings: not recommended for pregnant/breastfeeding women, side effects may increase in children and the elderly

Tamoxifen Oral--a drug that treats metastastic breast cancer.

Side effects: nausea, headache, hot flashes, hair loss

Warnings: rare risk of blood clots, stroke, or development of uterine cancer, not recommended for pregnant/breastfeeding women

Arimidex Oral (anastrozole)–a breast cancer drug for women who have gone through menopause.

Side effects: weight changes, hair loss, constipation, nausea, body aches

Warnings: limit alcohol, use caution when driving, not for pregnant/breastfeeding women

Ovarian Cancer Drugs

Women who have ovarian cancer may be treated with drugs such as:

Paraplatin (carboplatin)–an intravenous medication that also treats endometrial, testicular, lung, bladder, and esophageal cancer.

Side effects: hair loss, vomiting, lowered white blood cell count, diarrhea, constipation

Warnings: not for pregnant women, not for those with kidney/liver disease, may cause sterility

Abiplatin (cisplatin)–an Intravenous medication that also treats cervical, ovarian, testicular, endometrial, and bladder cancer.

Side effects: hair loss, lowered white blood cell count, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea

Warnings: may cause sterility, not for those with kidney damage, not for pregnant women

Taxotere (docetaxel)–an IV drug that also treats lung, stomach, ovarian, esophageal, prostate, and bladder cancer.

Side effects: fatigue, severe nausea/vomiting, swelling of hands/feet, muscle/joint pain, hair loss

Warnings: avoid alcohol, may cause sterility, not for pregnant women, not for those with liver disease

Lung Cancer Drugs

Drugs that may be prescribed for the treatment of lung cancer include:

Tarceva (erlotinib)–an oral medication that treats metastasized non-small cell lung cancer.

Side effects: nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, rash, fatigue

Warnings: not for pregnant women, may cause sterility, rarely causes interstitial lung disease

Toposar (etoposide)–an oral or IV drug that treats small-cell lung cancer, testicular cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma.

Side effects: hair loss, lowered white blood cell count, mouth sores, nausea/vomiting

Warnings: may cause sterility, may cause menopausal symptoms in women, not for pregnant women

Gemzar (gemcitabine)–an IV drug that also treats pancreatic, breast, bladder, ovarian, and cervical cancer.

Side effects: fatigue, nausea/vomiting, hair loss, fever, rash

Warnings: may cause sterility, not for pregnant/breastfeeding women, not for those with kidney or liver disease

Prostate Cancer Drugs

The following drugs are among those that may be prescribed for men with prostate cancer:

Casodex Oral (bicalutamide)–an oral medication that treats metastasized prostate cancer.

Side effects: sweating, body pain, hair loss, nausea, diarrhea

Warnings: limit alcohol, use caution when driving, may cause complications in those with liver disease or diabetes

Lupron Depot IM (leuprolide)–an injected medication that treats advanced prostate cancer.

Side effects: night sweats, increased urination, fatigue, mood changes

Warnings: long-term use may cause osteoporosis, limit alcohol, use caution when driving

Nilandron Oral (nilutamide)–an anti-androgen drug designed to slow the spread of prostate cancer.

Side effects: loss of libido, sweating, nausea, stomach pain, dizziness

Warnings: may cause vision changes, avoid alcohol, use caution when driving

Skin Cancer Drugs

Skin cancer can be treated with drugs such as:

Fluoroplex (fluorouracil topical)–a topical medication that also treats basal cell carcinoma.

Side effects: rash, skin irritation, eye irritation, skin peeling

Warnings: not for pregnant/breastfeeding women, avoid sunlight and UV rays, do not combine with other skin products

Proleukin (aldesleukin)–an IV drug that treats metastasized skin cancer and kidney cancer.

Side effects: stomach pain, diarrhea, drowsiness, anxiety

Warnings: not for pregnant/breastfeeding women, not for organ transplant patients, may interfere with other medications

Intron A (interferon alfa-2b)–an injected drug that treats malignant melanoma, lymphoma, and leukemia.

Side effects: muscle pain, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth

Warnings: not for those with liver problems, autoimmune hepatitis, kidney disease, or those who are pregnant/breastfeeding

Use this list of cancer treating drugs as a guide to common chemotherapy medications and other medications that aid patients with a cancer diagnosis.

References

WebMD–https://www.webmd.com/ovarian-cancer/guide/ovarian-cancer-medications, https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/tc/lung-cancer-medications

HealthCentral–https://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/find-drug.html, https://www.healthcentral.com/prostate/find-drug.html

Drugs.com–https://www.drugs.com/cancer-skin.html