Introduction to Chemotherapy MCQs – Key Concepts and Practice

Master the fundamentals of chemotherapy with targeted MCQs. Learn about antimicrobial agents, cancer therapies, and mechanisms of action to boost your exam readiness.

  1. What is the primary goal of chemotherapy?
  • A) Eradicate normal cells
  • B) Selectively target and destroy pathogenic organisms
  • C) Increase the host immune response
  • D) Provide symptomatic relief
  • Answer: B
  1. Which type of chemotherapy agent targets bacterial infections?
  • A) Antiviral
  • B) Antifungal
  • C) Antibacterial
  • D) Anticancer
  • Answer: C
  1. Anticancer drugs are included in chemotherapy because they target:
  • A) Bacterial infections
  • B) Neoplastic cells
  • C) Fungal spores
  • D) Viral particles
  • Answer: B
  1. Which of the following is a selective toxicity characteristic of chemotherapeutic agents?
  • A) Harmful to host cells
  • B) Equally toxic to host and pathogen
  • C) More toxic to the pathogen than the host
  • D) Effective only against viral infections
  • Answer: C
  1. A drug that kills a pathogen without harming the host is described as:
  • A) Bacteriostatic
  • B) Bactericidal
  • C) Selectively toxic
  • D) Broad-spectrum
  • Answer: C
  1. Which class of drugs is used to treat protozoal infections?
  • A) Antiviral
  • B) Antifungal
  • C) Antiprotozoal
  • D) Antibacterial
  • Answer: C
  1. Antifungal agents are typically used to treat infections affecting:
  • A) Lungs only
  • B) Skin, hair, and nails
  • C) Bloodstream exclusively
  • D) Bone marrow
  • Answer: B
  1. An antiviral drug’s primary action is to:
  • A) Destroy viral cell walls
  • B) Inhibit viral replication
  • C) Eliminate toxins from the body
  • D) Enhance bacterial growth
  • Answer: B
  1. Which is a characteristic of antitubercular drugs?
  • A) Used for protozoal infections
  • B) Target cancerous cells
  • C) Treat fungal infections
  • D) Effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Answer: D
  1. Anticancer chemotherapy is used because:
    • A) All tumors respond well to these drugs
    • B) Chemotherapy exclusively cures cancer
    • C) Some tumors are highly sensitive to chemotherapy
    • D) It has minimal side effects
    • Answer: C
  2. Anthelmintics are used to treat:
    • A) Bacterial infections
    • B) Worm infestations
    • C) Viral diseases
    • D) Fungal infections
    • Answer: B
  3. Which type of drug is most likely to cause toxic effects in the host?
    • A) Antibacterial
    • B) Antiviral
    • C) Antiprotozoal
    • D) Anticancer
    • Answer: D
  4. A vermicide is a type of anthelmintic that:
    • A) Expels worms from the body
    • B) Prevents worms from reproducing
    • C) Kills the worms directly
    • D) Acts as a laxative
    • Answer: C
  5. Antileprotic drugs are used for treating:
    • A) Tuberculosis
    • B) Cancer
    • C) Fungal infections
    • D) Leprosy
    • Answer: D
  6. Selective toxicity means a chemotherapeutic agent is:
    • A) Equally toxic to both host and pathogen
    • B) More toxic to the pathogen than the host
    • C) Used only for bacterial infections
    • D) Effective against a broad range of organisms
    • Answer: B
  7. A bactericidal agent:
    • A) Inhibits bacterial growth
    • B) Kills bacteria
    • C) Enhances bacterial growth
    • D) Has no effect on bacteria
    • Answer: B
  8. Chemotherapy’s success depends on:
    • A) Targeting all host cells
    • B) Selectively inhibiting the pathogen
    • C) Stimulating immune responses
    • D) Using high toxicity levels
    • Answer: B
  9. Which drug class is effective against worms?
    • A) Antibacterial
    • B) Antiviral
    • C) Anthelmintic
    • D) Anticancer
    • Answer: C
  10. Antiviral drugs are generally:
    • A) Effective against fungi
    • B) Given after symptoms appear
    • C) Most effective when used prophylactically
    • D) Used for all types of infections
    • Answer: C
  11. A bacteriostatic drug:
    • A) Kills bacteria
    • B) Inhibits bacterial growth
    • C) Stimulates bacterial metabolism
    • D) Destroys bacterial cell walls
    • Answer: B
  12. The main limitation of antiviral drugs is their:
    • A) High toxicity to host cells
    • B) Ineffectiveness once symptoms develop
    • C) Broad spectrum of action
    • D) Cost-effectiveness
    • Answer: B
  13. An antitubercular drug primarily targets:
    • A) Mycobacterium tuberculosis
    • B) Fungal spores
    • C) Protozoal cysts
    • D) Viral DNA
    • Answer: A
  14. Which of the following drugs is used to treat fungal infections?
    • A) Antiviral agents
    • B) Antibacterial agents
    • C) Antifungal agents
    • D) Antiprotozoal agents
    • Answer: C
  15. Vermifuge refers to an anthelmintic that:
    • A) Kills worms
    • B) Stimulates worm growth
    • C) Expels worms from the body
    • D) Enhances toxin production
    • Answer: C
  16. Why are antiprotozoal agents often toxic to the host?
    • A) Protozoa share many cellular features with human cells
    • B) They are selective only for pathogens
    • C) Protozoa are easy to distinguish from human cells
    • D) The drugs do not enter human cells
    • Answer: A
  17. Leprosy treatment involves:
    • A) Antiviral drugs
    • B) Antileprotic drugs
    • C) Anticancer drugs
    • D) Anthelmintics
    • Answer: B
  18. Chemotherapy for cancer aims to:
    • A) Cure all types of tumors
    • B) Target and kill rapidly dividing cells
    • C) Increase bacterial growth
    • D) Enhance immune suppression
    • Answer: B
  19. A chemotherapeutic agent with broad-spectrum activity is effective against:
    • A) Only viruses
    • B) Multiple types of pathogens
    • C) Fungi exclusively
    • D) Cancer cells only
    • Answer: B
  20. Anticancer drugs differ from antimicrobials because they:
    • A) Have lower toxicity
    • B) Target host cells
    • C) Are less effective
    • D) Do not cause side effects
    • Answer: B
  21. An important aspect of chemotherapy is:
    • A) Avoiding toxicity to the pathogen
    • B) Ensuring the drug affects only the pathogen, not the host
    • C) Inhibiting immune system function
    • D) Causing host cell death
    • Answer: B