Carmustine specifically belongs to a group of anticancer drugs known as nitrosourea that are believed to act in order to slow the growth of cancerous cells.
The carmustine injection is effective in the following malignant neoplasms as a single agent or along with other antineoplastic agents or other therapeutic measures (radiotherapy, surgery):
- Brain tumours (glioblastoma, Brain-stem gliomas, medulloblastoma, astrocytoma and ependymoma), brain metastases.
- Secondary therapy in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s disease.
- in the form of conditioning treatment prior to autologous HPCT in malignant haematological diseases (Hodgkin’s disease/Non-hodgkin’s lymphoma).
Approval: Carmustine was synthesized by the Southern Research Institute through a contract with CCNSC. It was basically accepted for the clinical development in the year of 1962 due to the its superior activity in comparison to a couple of analogs in the mouse leukemia tumor model L1210.
In the year of 1996, a new form of BCNU was approved for the use in addition to surgery in order to prolong the survival in patients with the recurrent glioblastoma multiforme who qualify for the surgery.
Dosage Form: Carmustine comes in the form of injection generically and under the brand name BiCNU. As a single agent, recommended dose is 150 to 200 mg/m2 intravenously every 6 weeks as a single dose or divided into daily injections such as carmustine 75 mg to carmustine 100 mg/m2 on 2 successive days.
Side Effects: Side effects of carmustine injection are vomiting, nausea, renal toxicity, pneumonitis, myelosuppression and pulmonary toxicity.
Cost: The carmustine price in india may vary depending on the wholesaler/pharmacy and of course the brand you choose. The cost of a carmustine injection ranges from 3,900 INR to 4,800 INR for a supply of a single injection.
Source:- This information is first published here
