Anticancer Microtubule Inhibitors: Vincristine, Vinblastine, Paclitaxel, Taxol mnemonic

Anticancer Microtubule Inhibitors

Impair formation of microtubules which are necessary for formation of mitotic spindle [vines form spindle]
Vincristine [vine Christ] and Vinblastine [vine blast]
- Effective against both Hodgkin's [hog] and non-Hodgkin's (NHL) [National Hockey League] lymphomas
- Effective against acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) [All detergent] and Wilm's tumor [films kidney tumor]
- Vinblastine causes myelosuppression [broken empty bone]
Paclitaxel [pack (of flashlights) lit axel] also known as Taxol
- Stabilizes microtubules by inhibiting depolymerization of tubulin, and therefore traps tubulin in cytoskeleton [thick stable axel]
- Used for:
  - Ovarian cancer [wheel ran over & cracked an egg]
  - Breast cancer [breast on the axel]
  - Bronchogenic carcinoma (non-small cell type) [tumors near bronchi]
- Side effects:
  - Neutropenia [ran-over neutrophil] and general myelosuppression
  - Hypersensitivity reactions (e.g. vasculitis) and arthralgias [inflamed wrists]
  - Bradycardia [snail heart]