Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotics for Oncology

An antibiotic is a chemical made by a microbe that antagonizes the growth of other cells.  They reduce the viability and clonal expansion of cancer stem cells is of broad importance, as cancer stem cells are increasingly accepted as a distinct cell type that gives rise to therapy resistance, tumour recurrence and distant metastasis. Therapeutic anticancer antibiotics have become an accepted treatment for certain types of cancer. These drugs bind specifically to primary and metastatic cancer cells to block cell growth, while limiting effects on surrounding healthy cells. Antibiotic medicines kill malignant cells by fragmenting the DNA in the cell nucleus and by oxidizing critical compounds which are necessary for the cell. Antibiotics are used against leukaemia, bladder cancer, testicular cancer, and sarcomas.