Which class of chemotherapy agents causes damage or interference with DNA?

Antimetabolites are chemotherapy agents that specifically target DNA synthesis and function by mimicking the normal substrates of metabolic pathways involved in DNA and RNA synthesis. By incorporating themselves into DNA and RNA, these substances interfere with the processes of replication and transcription, which can lead to cell death. This disruption is particularly effective in rapidly dividing cancer cells, which rely heavily on these pathways to grow and multiply.

While other classes of chemotherapy agents do have their own mechanisms of action, they do not primarily focus on directly damaging or interfering with DNA in the same way that antimetabolites do. For instance, hormonal agents generally work by blocking or mimicking hormones that are essential for cancer growth, plant alkaloids disrupt the function of microtubules in the mitotic spindle, and angiogenesis inhibitors prevent the formation of new blood vessels that tumors require for growth and metastasis. Therefore, the ability of antimetabolites to directly interfere with DNA makes them distinct and effective within the broader category of chemotherapy treatments.