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pentostatin (Nipent, DCF, 2'deoxycoformycin)

Tradename: Nipent. Indications: - treatment of adults with alpha-interferon-refractory hairy cell leukemia - chronic lymphocytic leukemia [3] Dosage: 1) 2 mg/m2/dose 2) dosage adjustment for renal insufficiency 3) coadministered with mannitol Powder for injection: 10 mg vial. Pharmacokinetics: 1) distributes rapidly to body tissues (Vd 20 L/m2) 2) terminal elimination 1/2life: 3-15 hours 3) 50-96% recovered in the urine within 24 hours Adverse effects: 1) common (> 10%) - headache, neurologic disorder, fever, fatigue, chills, pain, rash, nausea/vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, abnormal liver function tests, myalgia, cough, allergic reaction 2) less common (> 5%) - chest pain, arrhythmia, peripheral edema, anxiety, confusion, depression, dizziness, insomnia, lethargy, coma, seizures, malaise, dry skin, eczema, pruritus, constipation, flatulence, stomatitis, weight loss, dysuria, myelosuppression, liver dysfunction, diaphoresis, thrombophlebitis, arthralgia, paresthesia, back pain, weakness, abnormal vision, eye pain, keratoconjunctivitis, ear pain, renal failure, hematuria, bronchitis, dyspnea, lung edema, pneumonia, opportunistic infections, death Drug interactions: - increased toxicity of vidarabine, fludarabine & allopurinol Mechanism of action: -> inhibits adenosine deaminase Mechanism of drug resistance: -> increased activity of target enzyme adenosine deaminase

Related

adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase, ADA) hairy cell leukemia (leukemic reticuloendotheliosis)

General

antineoplastic agent (chemotherapeutic agent) enzyme inhibitor purine antimetabolite; antimetabolite; purine analog

Properties

INHIBITS: adenosine deaminase MISC-INFO: pregnancy-category D 1/2life 3-15 HOURS

Database Correlations

PUBCHEM correlations

References

  1. Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug Formulary, 1998
  2. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th ed. Fauci et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1998, pg 533
  3. Deprecated Reference
  4. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA National Formulary

Component-of

cyclophosphamide/pentostatin/rituximab (PCR regimen) N-PEP-12 (MemoProve)