Editing Malignancy (section)

===Chemotherapy===
[[Chemotherapy]] is commonly used as either the primary treatment or in conjunction with other treatment forms such as radiotherapy or surgery.<ref name = "Nazzario_2021">{{cite web | vauthors = Nazzario B | date = 8 February 2021 | title = Chemotherapy: How it works and how you'll feel. | work = WebMD – Cancer Centre | url = https://www.webmd.com/cancer/chemotherapy-what-to-expect }}</ref> It can be administered through "injection, intra-arterial (IA), [[intraperitoneal]] (IP), [[intrathecal]] (IT), [[intravenous]] (IV), topical or oral".<ref name = "Nazzario_2021" />

The purpose of chemotherapy is to use [[cytotoxic agents]] which kill rapidly dividing cells within the body.<ref name="MacDonald_2009">{{cite journal | vauthors = MacDonald V | title = Chemotherapy: managing side effects and safe handling | journal = The Canadian Veterinary Journal | volume = 50 | issue = 6 | pages = 665–668 | date = June 2009 | pmid = 19721789 | pmc = 2684058 | doi =  }}</ref> It targets the cellular mechanisms which allow the development of malignancy throughout the body.<ref name = "Lind_2011">{{cite journal | vauthors = Lind MJ | date =2011 | title = Principles of cytotoxic chemotherapy. | journal = Medicine | volume = 39 | issue = 12 | pages = 711–716 | doi = 10.1016/j.mpmed.2011.09.009 }}</ref> There are no specific areas which are targeted and so, there is a lack of differentiation between normal and malignant cells,<ref name = "Lind_2011" /> resulting in a range of side effects. This includes [[bone marrow suppression]], [[gastrointestinal]] problems and [[alopecia]].<ref name="MacDonald_2009" /> Some side effects are specific to the anticancer drug used, the most common being bone marrow suppression as bone marrow has the ability to divide rapidly due to high growth fraction.<ref name="MacDonald_2009" /> This is because anticancer drugs have the highest activity in high growth fraction tissues.<ref name="MacDonald_2009" />

[[Alkylating agents]] are used in chemotherapy as these are chemically reactive drugs which form [[covalent bond]]s when reacting with DNA.<ref name = "Lind_2011" /> This results in breaks within DNA strands causing either inter-strand or intra-strand DNA cross-linking.<ref name = "Lind_2011" /> The sub-classes of alkylating agents are "[[nitrogen mustards]], oxazaphosphorines, alkyl alkane, sulphonates, [[nitrosoureas]], [[tetrazines]] and [[aziridines]]."<ref name = "Lind_2011" />