**1.4 Cytostatic effect and cytocidal effect**

**Cytocidal effect**: It is known that there are two important pathways against tumours: To inhibit the tumour cell proliferation (**cytostatic effect**) and/or to induce the death of the tumour cells **(cytocidal effect**). **Cytocidal effect**: apoptosis or necrosis.

The apoptosis is a physiological process in the life of healthy cells, whereas necrosis is a pathological process for tumour cells. **Cytotoxicity** is the quality of being toxic to cells. There are a **direct** and an **indirect** (cell-mediated) **cytotoxicity.** In case of direct cytotoxicity the cells are treated with cytotoxic compounds leading to necrosis.
