Methotrexate is a type of chemotherapy known as an antimetabolite. It works by blocking the activity of an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase. This enzyme is necessary for cells to make DNA and other important molecules needed for cell growth and division.

By inhibiting this enzyme, methotrexate prevents cancer cells from making new DNA, which stops them from growing and multiplying. Because cancer cells (like those in blood cancers) grow and divide more quickly than most normal cells, they are more sensitive to methotrexate’s effects. However, some normal cells that divide rapidly (like those in the bone marrow, mouth, and gut) can also be affected, which leads to some of the side effects of the medication.

Methotrexate is used in various blood cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as part of combination chemotherapy regimens. It may also be used for other conditions like severe psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, but its main role in blood cancers is to slow or stop the growth of cancerous cells.

methotrexate

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