title: Antimitotics in cancer chemotherapy.
abstract: Many agents used in cancer chemotherapy act on a specific phase of the cell cycle and are classified as cell cycle-specific. Some of these cell cycle-specific drugs, the antimitotics, interact with tubulin, the major protein of mitotic spindles, and cause metaphase arrest, thus halting mitosis. Understanding the dynamic processes involved in tubulin polymerization/depolymerization and how chemotherapeutic agents disrupt these processes is fundamental to understanding and anticipating common adverse effects and planning nursing interventions.
authors.affiliation: University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing, Jackson 39216.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lobert
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Correia
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods; D010347:Patient Care Planning
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents