Anticancer drugs are traditionally classified either by their mechanism of action or by their origins. Alkylating agents are reactive to DNA and cellular proteins and the primary mode of action is mostly through cross-linking of DNA strands, inhibiting replication of DNA and transcription of RNA. Chemotherapy drugs are medicine you receive to kill cancer cells. There are different types of chemo drugs that work in different ways. However, all chemotherapy drugs kill fast-growing cells, like cancer cells. Listen to pronunciation. (AN-tee-KAN-ser THAYR-uh-pee) Treatment to stop or prevent cancer. Types of anticancer therapy include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, immunotherapy, and others.