Methotrexate

Methotrexate interferes with DNA production. This stops cell growth and division, resulting in the slowing or stopping of cancer growth. Since cancer cells, in general, divide faster and with less error-correcting than healthy cells, cancer cells are more sensitive to this damage. Methotrexate competes with folic acid uptake in cells. This results in a folic acid deficiency in these cells and leads to cell death. By affecting the folic acid uptake, methotrexate also alters DNA replication and cell division. Cancer cells take up methotrexate faster than normal cells (because they are rapidly dividing and thus replicate their DNA more frequently), causing their cell death.

Leucovorin is given starting 24 hours after methotrexate. Leucovorin is also known as folinic acid and is converted into a derivative of folic acid in the body. Therefore, Leucovorin is given in an attempt to prevent healthy cells from taking up too much methotrexate, but on the other hand, allowing time for the methotrexate to get into cancer cells to cause their death.

Methotrexate interferes with DNA production. This stops cell growth and division, resulting in the slowing or stopping of cancer growth. Since cancer cells, in general, divide faster and with less error-correcting than healthy cells, cancer cells are more sensitive to this damage. Methotrexate competes with folic acid uptake in cells. This results in a folic acid deficiency in these cells and leads to cell death. By affecting the folic acid uptake, methotrexate also alters DNA replication and cell division. Cancer cells take up methotrexate faster than normal cells (because they are rapidly dividing and thus replicate their DNA more frequently), causing their cell death.

Depending on your diagnosis, you may also receive leucovorin starting 24 hours after methotrexate. Leucovorin is also known as folinic acid and is converted into a derivative of folic acid in the body. Therefore, leucovorin is given in an attempt to prevent healthy cells from taking up too much methotrexate, while allowing time for the methotrexate to get into cancer cells to cause their death.