Overview of systemic anticancer treatments: conventional cytotoxics

Cancer treatment is rapidly evolving and this review provides healthcare professionals who are not specialists in cancer therapeutics with a broad overview of the role of cancer systemic therapy, with a particular focus on chemotherapy.Historically, the majority of cytotoxic chemotherapy was used in patients with incurable or metastatic disease with the goal of disease control and symptom palliation. Now, with the advent of more effective, targeted systemic therapies (incorporating both cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic agents), systemic therapies are being used in more diverse treatment settings, both to increase the likelihood of cure and to induce prolonged disease remission.Chemotherapy (henceforth referring specifically to cytotoxic chemotherapy) remains important for the treatment of many cancer types. This article will review the principles of chemotherapy and the first-line systemic treatment paradigm of different cancer types. The potential toxicities of chemotherapy will also be described.