Oncovin

What it is used for

Oncovin is indicated in acute leukaemia. It has also been shown to be useful in combination with other oncolytic agents in Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s malignant lymphomas (lymphocytic, mixed-cell, histiocytic, undifferentiated, nodular, and diffuse types), rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, Wilms’ tumour, osteogenic sarcoma, mycosis fungoides, Ewing’s sarcoma, carcinoma of the uterine cervix, breast cancer, malignant melanoma, oat-cell carcinoma of the lung, and gynaecologic tumours of childhood. Patients with true idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura resistant to the usual treatment may respond to Oncovin. Current practices of cancer chemotherapy involve the simultaneous use of several agents. For enhanced therapeutic effect without additive toxicity, agents with different dose-limiting clinical toxicities and different mechanisms of action are generally selected. It is rarely possible to achieve equally good results with single-agent treatment. Thus Oncovin is often chosen as part of polychemotherapy because of lack of significant bone-marrow suppression (at recommended doses) and because of its unique clinical toxicity (neuropathy). See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION for possible increased toxicity when used in combination therapy. In recent years, multiple-agent regimens have been developed for the treatment of a variety of malignant disorders in children. Paediatric patients with neuroblastoma, osteogenic sarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Wilms’ tumour, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, embryonal carcinoma of the ovaries, and rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus should be considered candidates for such polychemotherapy treatment. Close cooperation among oncologists, paediatricians, radiologists, and surgeons is required in order to achieve the best possible results. Patients with true idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura refractory to splenectomy and short-term treatment with adrenocortical steroids may respond to Oncovin, but the drug is not recommended as primary treatment for this disorder. Recommended weekly doses of Oncovin given for 3 to 4 weeks have produced permanent remissions in some patients. If patients fail to respond after 3 to 6 doses, it is unlikely that there will be any results with additional doses.