Which type of agents act against cancer cells during all phases of the cell cycle?

Cell cycle nonspecific agents are effective against cancer cells throughout all phases of the cell cycle, including the G1, S, G2, and M phases. This characteristic allows these agents to target cancer cells regardless of their current phase in the cell cycle, providing a broader opportunity for therapeutic impact.

These agents often work by damaging DNA, interfering with its replication, or disrupting other cellular processes that are essential for cell survival and division. Because cancer cells can be in various stages of the cell cycle at any given time, having agents that are active in all phases increases the chances of successfully targeting and eliminating more cancer cells.

In contrast, cell cycle specific agents only act during particular phases of the cell cycle, making them limited in their efficacy if cancer cells are not in those specific phases at the time of treatment. Hormonal agents and biologic response modifiers have different mechanisms and targeted actions that do not generally include the broad-spectrum activity seen with cell cycle nonspecific agents.