Mechanism of Action
The principal mechanism of action of the taxane class of drugs is the disruption of microtubule function. Microtubules are essential to cell division, and taxanes stabilize GDP-bound tubulin in the microtubule, thereby inhibiting the process of cell division — a "frozen mitosis". Thus, in essence, taxanes are mitotic inhibitors. In contrast to the taxanes, the vinca alkaloids destroy mitotic spindles. Both taxanes and vinca alkaloids are, therefore, named spindle poisons or mitosis poisons, but they act in different ways. Taxanes are also thought to be radiosensitizing.
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