Which of the following is a common antimetabolite drug used in chemotherapy?

Capecitabine is classified as an antimetabolite drug, which means it interferes with the metabolic processes of cancer cells, disrupting their ability to grow and reproduce. Specifically, capecitabine is an orally administered prodrug that is converted into 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the body, a well-known antimetabolite that affects DNA synthesis and is primarily used to treat various types of cancers, including colorectal and breast cancer.

Antimetabolites work by mimicking substrates that are necessary for nucleic acid synthesis, leading to faulty DNA replication and ultimately cell death. Capecitabine targets rapidly dividing cells, which is characteristic of cancerous tumors, making it effective in chemotherapy regimens.

In contrast, other options like Taxol, cyclophosphamide, and cisplatin fall into different categories of chemotherapy agents. Taxol (paclitaxel) is a taxane that disrupts microtubule function, leading to cell cycle arrest. Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating agent that directly damages DNA, while cisplatin is a platinum-based drug that also forms DNA cross-links. Each of these has distinct mechanisms of action that do not align with the antimet