Leukemia and Alkylating Agents
FDA Approval for Bendamustine - from NCI.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - from NCI
Alkylating agent definition
Chempedia on alkylating agents
The action of alkylating agents as chemotherapeutic drugs comes from their ability irreversibly bind to DNA and, once bound, the altered molecule disrupts the normal action and replication of the DNA strand. When this alkylation takes place at several places along the DNA molecule, the normal processes of the cell are interrupted. This leads to either to programmed cell death (apoptosis) or at least an arrest in cellular replication. In either case, when applied to cancer cells, alkylating agents can limit tumor growth and lead to tumor destruction.