Just exactly how does the chemotherapy drug, vincristine, which is derived from the periwinkle flower work? If you’ve been following along, then you know that at the essence of cancer is a cell that won’t stop dividing for various reasons. When a cell divides, it has to double its DNA and divvy an equal number to two new cells. This process is called mitosis. After the chromosomes have duplicated (in #1 they have already duplicated and look like an “X”) they line themselves up down the center and some spindles (green lines) attach to each side of the “X” chromosome and pull it apart taking one full copy of the chromosome to each new cell.
Vincristine makes it so that the spindles can’t form and thus the cell gets stuck in metaphase (#3 in picture) and they can’t finish dividing and will die. The great thing about this is that the cancer cells are always dividing, so it hits them pretty hard. The not so good news? All of the other cells in the body also need to divide, so they will get hit also as collateral damage. The biggest side effects of vincristine are seen in peripheral nerves because of this collateral damage. Tingly hands and feet and loss of knee-jerk reflexes are common but often go away once treatment is stopped.
#morethanfour #ChildhoodCancer365
Graphic and easy breakdown of mitosis found here:
