Anticancer Agents: Classification, Mechanisms, and Resistance

Question 1

Which class of anticancer agents targets the mitotic spindle?

Accepted Answer

Taxanes

Answer

Antimetabolites

Answer

Topoisomerase inhibitors

Answer

Platinum-based compounds

Question 2

Which of the following is an illustration of a topoisomerase inhibitor?

Accepted Answer

Irinotecan

Answer

Cyclophosphamide

Answer

Methotrexate

Answer

Paclitaxel

Question 3

Where is the primary site of action for platinum-based anticancer agents?

Accepted Answer

DNA

Answer

RNA

Answer

Proteins

Answer

Cell membrane

Question 4

Which of the following is not a viable tactic for overcoming resistance to anticancer agents?

Accepted Answer

Dose escalation

Answer

Combination therapy

Answer

Novel drug development

Answer

Targeted therapy

Question 5

Which of the following is not a characteristic associated with cancer stem cells?

Accepted Answer

Differentiation

Answer

Self-renewal

Answer

Chemoresistance

Answer

Tumour initiation

Question 6

Describe the distinct mechanisms of action of antimetabolites and mitotic inhibitors, highlighting their impact on the cell cycle progression of cancer cells.

Accepted Answer

Correct: Antimetabolites interfere with DNA synthesis, while mitotic inhibitors disrupt spindle fiber formation, thereby affecting cell cycle progression differently.

Answer

Incorrect: Both antimetabolites and mitotic inhibitors target the same enzyme class.

Answer

Incorrect: Antimetabolites and mitotic inhibitors have similar mechanisms of action.

Question 7

What is the key feature of targeted therapy in cancer treatment?

Accepted Answer

Precise targeting of cancerous cells

Answer

Indiscriminate effects on both cancerous and healthy cells

Answer

Minimal development of resistance over time

Answer

Identical mechanisms of action to conventional chemotherapy

Question 8

When making ethical decisions about who should receive expensive cancer drugs, the most important factor to consider is:

Accepted Answer

How much the patients need the drugs

Answer

How much the drugs cost

Answer

How much money the drug companies will make

Answer

How much political influence the patients have

Question 9

Which of the following is not a key group of anticancer agents?

Accepted Answer

Antihypertensives

Answer

Alkylating agents

Answer

Antimetabolites

Answer

Topoisomerase inhibitors

Question 10

Which mechanism of action is employed by antimetabolites?

Accepted Answer

Interfering with cellular metabolism by targeting key enzymes

Answer

Inhibiting DNA replication by blocking topoisomerase enzymes

Answer

Inducing DNA damage through the formation of covalent bonds with DNA

Answer

Triggering apoptosis through activation of the intrinsic pathway

Question 11

Topoisomerase inhibitors primarily target which cellular component?

Accepted Answer

DNA

Answer

RNA

Answer

Proteins

Answer

Lipids

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of an alkylating agent?

Accepted Answer

Cisplatin

Answer

5-fluorouracil

Answer

Methotrexate

Answer

Doxorubicin

Question 13

What are the key challenges and potential benefits of targeting cancer stem cells to enhance treatment effectiveness?

Accepted Answer

Selectively targeting cancer stem cells without harming healthy cells is a significant challenge.

Accepted Answer

Overcoming the challenges of targeting cancer stem cells could lead to significant improvements in treatment outcomes.

Answer

Targeting cancer stem cells is a simple approach to eliminating all cancer cells.

Answer

Cancer stem cells do not contribute to treatment resistance and recurrence.

Question 14

Anticancer agents are classified based on their ___.

Accepted Answer

Mechanism of action

Answer

Chemical structure

Answer

Target cells

Answer

Route of administration

Question 15

Tamoxifen is an example of a(n) ___.

Accepted Answer

Hormonal therapy

Answer

Cytotoxic agent

Answer

Immunotherapy

Answer

Targeted therapy

Question 16

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) exerts its cytotoxic effect by ___.

Accepted Answer

Inhibiting DNA synthesis

Answer

Interfering with RNA transcription

Answer

Damaging DNA through alkylation

Answer

Promoting cell cycle arrest

Question 17

Cisplatin belongs to the class of anticancer agents known as ___.

Accepted Answer

Alkylating agents

Answer

Antimetabolites

Answer

Topoisomerase inhibitors

Answer

Antimitotic agents

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a major category of targeted therapy?

Accepted Answer

Immunotherapy

Answer

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Answer

Proteasome inhibitors

Answer

PARP inhibitors

Question 19

Topoisomerase inhibitors play a role in anticancer therapy by ___.

Accepted Answer

Stabilizing DNA-topoisomerase complexes, leading to DNA damage

Answer

Promoting cell cycle arrest by inhibiting DNA synthesis

Answer

Activating the immune system to target cancer cells

Answer

Interfering with hormonal signaling pathways

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a primary mechanism of action for anticancer agents?

Accepted Answer

Stimulate cell growth

Answer

Induce apoptosis

Answer

Damage DNA

Answer

Inhibit cell division

Question 21

Which class of anticancer agents directly interferes with the formation of the mitotic spindle, preventing cell division?

Accepted Answer

Vinca alkaloids

Answer

Antimetabolites

Answer

Topoisomerase inhibitors

Answer

Alkylating agents

Question 22

Which class of anticancer agents works by intercalating between DNA base pairs, leading to DNA damage and replication inhibition?

Accepted Answer

Anthracyclines

Answer

Alkylating agents

Answer

Mitotic inhibitors

Answer

Antimetabolites

Question 23

A common side effect associated with alkylating agents is:

Accepted Answer

Myelosuppression

Answer

Gastrointestinal toxicity

Answer

Cardiotoxicity

Answer

Neurotoxicity

Question 24

Which type of anticancer therapy specifically targets growth factor receptors, inhibiting cell proliferation?

Accepted Answer

Targeted therapy

Answer

Chemotherapy

Answer

Immunotherapy

Answer

Hormonal therapy

Question 25

The primary mechanism of action for immunotherapy in cancer treatment is:

Accepted Answer

Stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells

Answer

Inducing apoptosis

Answer

Inhibiting cell division

Question 26

One potential advantage of using monoclonal antibodies in cancer treatment is:

Accepted Answer

High specificity for cancer cells

Answer

Broad-spectrum activity

Answer

Low cost of production

Question 27

The main purpose of growth factor inhibitors in cancer treatment is to:

Accepted Answer

Block the signals that promote cancer cell growth

Answer

Stimulate the production of white blood cells

Answer

Enhance the immune response