Description of the medicine: Mitoxantrone (Mitoxantrone)

MITOXANTRON (Mitoxantrone). (Name of the drug company AWD, Germany). 1, 4-Dihydroxy-5,8-bis [[2 - [(2-hydroxyethyl) amino) -ethyl] -amino] anthraquinone.

Synonyms: Mitozantrone, Novatron.

Produced in the form of hydrochloride. It is a synthetic antitumour agent. On the chemical structure (the presence of the anthraquinone core) has elements of similarity with antitumor anthracycline antibiotics (see Doxorubicin, Rubomycin).

Apply mitoxantrone in breast cancer with the presence of metastases, lymphomas (but not with lymphogranulomatosis), acute leukemia in adults (including blast crista) and with exacerbation of chronic myelogenous leukemia, in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduce the solution mitoksantrona strictly intravenously slowly (no faster than for 5 minutes) or in the form of a short-term drop infusion (for 15 - 30 minutes). Dissolve the drug (according to the content in the vial) in 50 or 100 ml of isotonic sodium chloride solution or glucose.

In case of breast cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and hepatocellular cancer, 14 mg per 1 m2 of the body surface is administered. Repeated injections are usually performed after 21 days. With the general severe condition of the patient and the oppression of hematopoiesis, initially administered at a rate of 12 mg / m 2, and repeated administration is carried out at intervals of 3 to 4 weeks.

With repeated administration, the doses are selected taking into account the state of the hematopoietic system. The number of leukocytes in the blood after administration of the drug should be at least 1, 5 x 10 9 / l, and platelets 50 x 10 9 / l.

Usually, after the administration of mitoxantrone, the number of leukocytes and platelets is restored after 21 days or earlier. In these cases, the administration of the initial dose is repeated after 21 days. If after 21 days of the effect is not observed, wait until the restoration of the picture of blood.

If the number of leukocytes in the blood after the administration of the drug is reduced to 1, 5 x 10 9 / l or more, and the platelet count is 50 x 10 9 / l or more, then the subsequent dose is reduced by 2 mg / m2, regardless of the period of restoration of the blood picture Leukocytes less than 1 x 10 9 / l and platelets less than 25 x 10 9 / l, the subsequent dose is reduced by 4 mg / m 2. In both cases, subsequent injections are performed after restoration of the blood picture.

In acute leukemia, mitoxantrone is administered at 10-12 mg / m 2 per day for 5 days. The course of treatment can be repeated after the cessation of the phenomena of oppression of bone marrow hematopoiesis.

In cases of application in combination with other antitumor drugs, mitoxantrone is prescribed in doses 2-4 mg / m 2 lower than with monotherapy.

For all methods of application, the total dose for the course of treatment should not exceed 200 mg / m 2.

With the use of mitoxantrone, side effects are possible. Like other similar chemotherapeutic drugs, it causes oppression of hematopoiesis (leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, less often erythrocytopenia). Like doxorubicin and other anthracycline antibiotics, mitoxantrone has cardiotoxic effects.