Which phrase best describes a drug that destroys cancer cells and limits their growth but may cause significant side effects?

• A. Antineoplastic agent
• B. Cytotoxic drug
• C. Certain drug
• D. Targeted therapy

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that this describes a drug that directly kills cells and slows cancer growth, with notable side effects due to damage to normal, fast-dividing cells. That makes the term cytotoxic drug the best fit, because cytotoxic means toxic to cells and typically refers to chemotherapy agents that destroy cancer cells but also harm healthy cells, leading to side effects like hair loss, mucositis, or bone marrow suppression. While antineoplastic agent is a valid broad category for cancer-fighting drugs, it’s less specific about the cell-killing mechanism. Targeted therapy aims at specific cancer cell targets and often has a different, sometimes milder, side-effect profile. The phrase “certain drug” isn’t a standard descriptor in this context.