Procarbazine in haematology: an old drug with a new life?

Procarbazine (PCB) was developed in the 1960s and was rapidly recognised as an active agent in lymphoid malignancies. PCB was one of the four drugs combined in mechlorethamine, vincristine, PCB, prednisolone (MOPP), one of the first combination chemotherapy regimens to show that advanced-stage disea...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of cancer (1990) 2004-09, Vol.40 (13), p.1924-1927
Main Authors: Massoud, M, Armand, J.P, Ribrag, V
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects
Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use
Chemotherapy
Drug Interactions
Drug resistance
Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
Hematologic Neoplasms - drug therapy
Humans
Lymphoid malignancies
Procarbazine
Procarbazine - adverse effects
Procarbazine - therapeutic use
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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Summary:Procarbazine (PCB) was developed in the 1960s and was rapidly recognised as an active agent in lymphoid malignancies. PCB was one of the four drugs combined in mechlorethamine, vincristine, PCB, prednisolone (MOPP), one of the first combination chemotherapy regimens to show that advanced-stage disease could be cured in humans. During the last few decades, comprehensive studies have clarified cellular pathways involved in the modes of action of PCB and its drug resistance mechanisms. However, late toxicities, especially secondary leukaemias and sterility, led to its withdrawal from combination regimens used to treat Hodgkin's lymphomas (HLs). PCB was recently reintroduced in dose-intensified regimens and yielded impressive results. These new regimens (bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, vincristine, PCB, and prednisone (BEACOPP) or escalated BEACOPP) are now being investigated versus the classic ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) or ABVD-like combination chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of HLs.
ISSN:0959-8049
1879-0852
DOI:10.1016/j.ejca.2004.05.015