Pediatric Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Medication
- Author: J Martin Johnston, MD; Chief Editor: Max J Coppes, MD, PhD, MBA more...
Medication Summary
As discussed Medical Care, the agents described below are used in combination regimens, and doses are tailored to the histologic subtype of lymphoma and stage of disease present.
Corticosteroids
Class Summary
Corticosteroids elicit anti-inflammatory properties and cause profound and varied metabolic effects. They modify the body's immune response to diverse stimuli.
Methylprednisolone (Medrol)
Mechanism of cytotoxicity unknown but apparently mediated by glucocorticoid receptors.
Dexamethasone (Decadron)
Mechanism of cytotoxicity unknown, but apparently mediated by glucocorticoid receptors; apparently enhanced CNS penetration (relative to prednisone).
Antineoplastic Agents
Class Summary
Cancer chemotherapy is based on an understanding of tumoral cell growth and on how drugs affect this growth. After cells divide, they enter a period of growth (ie, phase G1), followed by DNA synthesis (ie, phase S). The next phase is the premitotic phase (ie, G2), then finally mitotic cell division (ie, phase M).
Cell division rates vary for different tumors. Most common cancers grow slowly compared with normal tissues, and the growth rate may further decrease in large tumors. This difference allows normal cells to recover from chemotherapy more quickly than malignant cells, and is the rationale for current cyclic dosage schedules.
Antineoplastic agents interfere with cell reproduction. Some agents are cell cycle specific, whereas others (eg, alkylating agents, anthracyclines, cisplatin) are not phase specific.
Cellular apoptosis (ie, programmed cell death) is another potential mechanism of many antineoplastic agents.
Daunorubicin (Cerubidine)
Anthracycline. Multiple mechanisms of action involve DNA intercalation, topoisomerase-mediated DNA strand breakage, and oxidative damage due to free radical production.
Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)
Anthracycline. Multiple mechanisms of action involve DNA intercalation, topoisomerase-mediated DNA strand breakage, and oxidative damage due to free radical production.
Cytarabine (Cytosine arabinoside, Ara-C, Cytosar-U)
Antimetabolite. Cytotoxic analog of deoxycytidine. Interferes with DNA replication and repair by incorporating into DNA and inhibiting DNA polymerase.
6-mercaptopurine (6-MP, Purinethol)
Purine analog. Metabolites incorporated into DNA, inhibiting synthesis.
6-thioguanine (Purinethol)
Purine analog. Metabolites are incorporated into DNA, inhibiting synthesis
Methotrexate (MTX, Folex PFS)
Cytotoxic folate antagonist. Inhibits dihydrofolate reductase.
Vincristine (Oncovin)
Inhibits microtubule formation in mitotic spindle, causing metaphase arrest.
Etoposide (VP-16, Toposar)
Inhibits topoisomerase, causing DNA strand breaks.
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
Alkylates and cross-links DNA.
Ifosfamide (Ifex)
Alkylates and cross-links DNA.
Carmustine (BCNU, BiCNU)
Alkylates DNA and RNA; may also act by carbamoylation of enzymes.
L-asparaginase (Elspar)
Enzyme produced by Escherichia coli, which catalyzes conversion of L-asparagine to aspartic acid; former is nonessential amino acid for most normal tissues. Many lymphoid malignancies have low levels of asparagine synthase and, therefore, depend on circulating pool of L-asparagine.
Nelarabine (Arranon)
Prodrug of deoxyguanosine analog 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine (Ara-G). Converted to active 5'-triphosphate (ara-GTP), a T-cell–selective nucleoside analog. Leukemic blast cells accumulate ara-GTP, allowing for incorporation into DNA; result is inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell death.
Approved by US Food and Drug Administration as orphan drug to treat T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma not responding to or relapsing with at least 2 chemotherapy regimens.
Hydroxyurea (Hydrea)
Apparently inhibits DNA synthesis.
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- Table 1. Modified LSA2 L2 Therapy in Children's Cancer Group Protocol 552
- Table 2. Therapy for Stage III and IV non–B-Cell Disease* According to BFM Protocol 86
- Table 3. Clinical Risk Groups in the International Trial for Patients With SNCCL (Children's Cancer Group study 5961)
- Table 4. Standard Therapy for Subjects in the International Trial for Patients With SNCCL, Group A*
- Table 5. Standard Therapy for Subjects in International Trial for Patients With SNCCL, Group B*
- Table 6. Standard Therapy for Subjects in International Trial for Patients With SNCCL, Group C*
- Table 7. Prephase Therapy for Ki-1+ Anaplastic LCLs in All Patients According to the BFM-90 Protocol
- Table 8. Subsequent Therapy for Ki-1+ Anaplastic LCLs According to the BFM-90 Protocol
| Phase | Drug | Route | |
| Induction | Cyclophosphamide, vincristine, daunorubicin | IV | |
| Ara-C, methotrexate | IT | ||
| Prednisone | PO | ||
| Consolidation | Ara-C | IV or SC | |
| 6-thioguanine | PO | ||
| Methotrexate | IT | ||
| L-asparaginase | IM | ||
| BCNU | IV | ||
| Phase | Cycle | Drug | Route |
| Maintenance* | 1 | 6-thioguanine | PO |
| Cyclophosphamide | IV | ||
| 2 | Hydroxyurea | PO | |
| Daunorubicin | IV | ||
| 3 | Methotrexate | PO | |
| BCNU | IV | ||
| 4 | Ara-C | IV or SC | |
| Vincristine | IV | ||
| Source.—Children's Cancer Group. Ara-C = cytarabine; BCNU = 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea, or carmustine; IM = intramuscular; IT = intrathecal; IV = intravenous; PO = oral; SC = subcutaneous. * A minimum of 5 repeated courses (total duration of therapy >18 mo) are noted. Each course of intrathecal methotrexate (day 0 of each course) consists of 4 cycles of rotating drug pairs that are administered every 2 weeks after blood counts have recovered. | |||
| Phases | Drug | Route |
| Induction | Prednisone, 6-mercaptopurine | PO |
| Vincristine, daunorubicin, cyclophosphamide, Ara-C | IV | |
| L-asparaginase | IM | |
| Methotrexate | IT | |
| Consolidation | 6-mercaptopurine | PO |
| Methotrexate with leucovorin rescue | IV | |
| Methotrexate | IT | |
| Re-induction | Dexamethasone, 6-thioguanine | PO |
| Vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, Ara-C | IV | |
| L-asparaginase | IM | |
| Methotrexate | IT | |
| Maintenance† | 6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate | PO |
| Source.—Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster Group. Ara-C = cytarabine; IT = intrathecal; IV = intravenous; PO = oral; SC = subcutaneous. * Diagnoses included lymphoblastic lymphoma of the T-cell or precursor B-cell type, immunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, and other peripheral T-cell lymphomas. Of note, patients with Ki-1+ anaplastic LCLs were not included. † Continued until 24 months after diagnosis. | ||
| Clinical Group | Subjects, Estimated % | Definition |
| A | 10 | All resected stage I or abdominal stage II tumors |
| B | 65 | Unresected stage I or II tumor, stage III, tumor, or stage IV with no CNS involvement and < 25% marrow blasts |
| C | 25 | CNS involvement or >25% marrow blasts |
| Drug | Route |
| Prednisone | PO |
| Vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV |
| Filgrastim (G-CSF), to enhance neutrophil recovery | SC or IV |
| G-CSF = granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; IV = intravenous; PO = oral; SC = subcutaneous. * See Table 3 for the definition of group A. All subjects received 2 cycles. | |
| Phase | Drug | Route | |
| Reduction | Prednisone | PO | |
| Vincristine, cyclophosphamide | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Phase | Cycles | Drug | Route |
| Induction | 2, starting 7 d after reduction | Prednisone | PO |
| Vincristine, methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Filgrastim (G-CSF) | SC or IV | ||
| Consolidation | 2 | Methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, Ara-C | |
| Methotrexate/hydrocortisone, Ara-C/hydrocortisone | |||
| Filgrastim (G-CSF) | |||
| Maintenance | 1 | Prednisone | PO |
| Vincristine, methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Ara-C = cytarabine; G-CSF = granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; IT = intrathecal; IV = intravenous; PO = oral, SC = subcutaneous. * See Table 3 for the definition of group B. | |||
| Phase | Drug | Route | |
| Reduction | Prednisone | PO | |
| Vincristine, cyclophosphamide | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Induction, cycle 1 starting 7 d after reduction | Prednisone | PO | |
| Vincristine, high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Filgrastim (G-CSF) | SC or IV | ||
| Induction, cycle 2 | Prednisone | PO | |
| Vincristine, high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Filgrastim (G-CSF) | SC or IV | ||
| Consolidation, 2 cycles† | High-dose Ara-C, etoposide (VP-16) | IV | |
| Filgrastim (G-CSF), days 7-21 | SC or IV | ||
| High-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Maintenance 1 | Prednisone | PO | |
| Vincristine, high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV | ||
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/hydrocortisone | IT | ||
| Maintenance 2 | Ara-C, etoposide (VP-16) | IT | |
| Maintenance 3 | Prednisone | PO | |
| Vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV | ||
| Maintenance 4 | Ara-C, etoposide (VP-16) | IV | |
| Ara-C = cytarabine; G-CSF = granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; IT = intrathecal; IV = intravenous; PO = oral, SC = subcutaneous. * See Table 3 for the definition of group C. † For patients with CNS involvement, during consolidation cycle 1 only. | |||
| Drug | Route |
| Prednisone | PO |
| Cyclophosphamide | IV |
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/prednisolone | IT |
| Ara-C = cytarabine; IT = intrathecal; IV = intravenous; PO = oral. | |
| Cycle | Drug | Route |
| A | Methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, ifosfamide, etoposide (VP-16), Ara-C | IV |
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/prednisolone | IT | |
| B | Dexamethasone | PO |
| Methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, Ara-C, doxorubicin | IV | |
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/prednisolone | IT | |
| AA | Dexamethasone | PO |
| Vincristine, high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, ifosfamide, Ara-C, etoposide (VP-16) | IV | |
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/prednisolone | IT | |
| BB | Dexamethasone | PO |
| Vincristine, high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin | IV | |
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/prednisolone | IT | |
| CC | Dexamethasone | PO |
| Vindesine, high-dose Ara-C, etoposide (VP-16) | IV | |
| Methotrexate/Ara-C/prednisolone | IT | |
| Ara-C = cytarabine; IT = intrathecal; IV = intravenous; PO = oral. | ||

