Walsh & Hoyt: Alkylating Agents

Alkylating agents cause linking of nucleic acids, resulting in cross-linking between DNA strands, between bases in the same DNA strand or within a monoalkylated DNA guanine unit. Although these agents are cell cycle phase nonspecific, the biologic consequences are more severe when alkylation occurs during DNA synthesis. Alkylating agents may also cause apoptosis in sensitive cells. Alkylating agents are teratogenic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic, the most common secondary malignancy being acute leukemia. Nitrogen mustards. Mechlorethamine. Chlorambucil, Cyclophosphamide. Ifosfamide. Procarbazine. Dacarbazine. Chlorambucil. Busulfan (Myleran). Cytoxan. Nitrosoureas. BCNU (carmustine). CCNU (lomustine). Methyl-CCNU (semustine). PCNU. Streptozotocin. Chlorozotocin. HeCNU. ACNU (nimustine). Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum). Carboplatin. Oxaliplatin. Thiotepa. Temozolamide. Altretamine (hexamethylmelamine).