Which of the following is an example of an oral chemotherapy agent?

Which of the following is an example of an oral chemotherapy agent?

• A. Cyclophosphamide
• B. Decarbazine
• C. Methotrexate
• D. Bleomycin

Answer: (A)

Some chemotherapy drugs are designed to be taken by mouth, while others are given by infusion because of how they’re absorbed and processed in the body. An oral chemotherapy agent has a formulation you can swallow or take by mouth, and it still provides systemic exposure that helps fight cancer. Cyclophosphamide fits this category because it’s available as capsules (and liquid) and is commonly used in regimens that include oral dosing. After you swallow it, it’s absorbed and then activated in the liver to become the active metabolites that damage cancer cell DNA and stop their growth. Decarbazine is typically given by IV infusion, not by mouth, because its use and pharmacokinetics are optimized for IV administration. Bleomycin is also given IV or IM rather than orally due to absorption and toxicity considerations. Methotrexate can be given orally in some regimens, but for many cancer protocols—especially those requiring precise, high tissue concentrations—it’s administered parenterally, such as IV or intramuscularly. So among these options, cyclophosphamide is the principal example of an oral chemotherapy agent.

Some chemotherapy drugs are designed to be taken by mouth, while others are given by infusion because of how they’re absorbed and processed in the body. An oral chemotherapy agent has a formulation you can swallow or take by mouth, and it still provides systemic exposure that helps fight cancer. Cyclophosphamide fits this category because it’s available as capsules (and liquid) and is commonly used in regimens that include oral dosing. After you swallow it, it’s absorbed and then activated in the liver to become the active metabolites that damage cancer cell DNA and stop their growth.

Decarbazine is typically given by IV infusion, not by mouth, because its use and pharmacokinetics are optimized for IV administration. Bleomycin is also given IV or IM rather than orally due to absorption and toxicity considerations. Methotrexate can be given orally in some regimens, but for many cancer protocols—especially those requiring precise, high tissue concentrations—it’s administered parenterally, such as IV or intramuscularly. So among these options, cyclophosphamide is the principal example of an oral chemotherapy agent.