♦Dacarbazine

(de-kar’-ba-zeen)

DTIC-Dome

Pregnancy Category C

Mechanism of Action

The activity may be the result of three mechanisms: alkylation, antimetabolite activity as a purine precursor, and interaction with sulfhydryl groups in proteins. DTIC appears to be more active in the G2 phase but is not particularly phase-specific.

Indications

♦ Metastatic melanoma

♦ Advanced Hodgkin’s disease (combination therapy)

♦ Unlabeled use: In combination with cyclophosphamide and vincristine, for malignant pheochromocytoma. More effective when coadministered with tamoxifen for metastatic malignant melanoma.

Metabolism/Excretion

Extensively metabolized in the liver; biphasic half-life: 9 minutes, then 5 hours. Excreted in the urine; 30% to 46% of the dose is excreted after 6 hours.

Dosage Range

Adult

♦ Malignant melanoma: 2.0 to 4.5 mg/kg daily for 10 days at 4-week intervals, or 250 mg/m² daily for 5 days at 3-week intervals.

♦ Hodgkin’s disease: 150 mg/m² daily for 5 days in combination with other drugs at 4-week intervals, or 375 mg/m² on the first day in combination with other drugs and repeated every 15 days.

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