1. What is the mechanism that drugs such as Taxol (Paclitaxel) and Vinblastine disrupt dividing cancer cells in the cancer-type you chose? 2. How are normal (non-cancer cells) exempt from the presence of the chemotherapeutic drugs or are they? The Mechanism of Action of Taxol and Vinblastine in Lung Cancer Treatment

The Mechanism of Action of Taxol and Vinblastine in Lung Cancer Treatment

Taxol (Paclitaxel) and Vinblastine are two of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs for treating lung cancer. These drugs work by targeting and disrupting the division of cancer cells in the body, without affecting normal, non-cancerous cells. This mechanism of action is known as apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

The mechanism of action of Taxol and Vinblastine is based on the ability of these drugs to interfere with microtubules, which are structures that form the cellular skeleton of dividing cells. Taxol binds to and stabilizes microtubules, while Vinblastine binds to and destabilizes microtubules. This prevents the cells from dividing, leading to apoptosis. Because the microtubular structure of normal, non-cancerous cells is not affected by these drugs, they remain unharmed. This mechanism of action of Taxol and Vinblastine has been shown to be successful in treating lung cancer. According to a study published in 2016, Taxol and Vinblastine have been found to be effective in inducing apoptosis in lung cancer cells (Rama et al., 2016). Cont…