Abstract
M-VAC (Methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin and cisplatin) combination systemic chemotherapy is useful for treating invasive or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma. Granulocytopenia is the major dose-limiting factor of this chemotherapy and it takes 4 weeks or more to complete a single course of M-VAC. We have tried to shorten the period of M-VAC chemotherapy from 4 to 3 weeks by using rhG-CSF. With this modified M-VAC regimen, the number of days on which the absolute neutrophil count was less than 1000/mm3 was significantly reduced and the period to reach the neutropenia nadir was shortened. No severe side-effects were observed. In all patients treated with 2 courses of this modified M-VAC short regimen, the period of hospitalization could be reduced by 2 weeks. We emphasize the possibility of shortening the M-VAC regimen.
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Agranulocytosis / chemically induced
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Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage*
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Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects
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Bone Marrow Diseases / chemically induced
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Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / drug therapy*
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Cisplatin / administration & dosage
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Cisplatin / adverse effects
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Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
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Doxorubicin / adverse effects
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Drug Administration Schedule
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Female
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Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / therapeutic use*
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Humans
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Kidney Diseases / chemically induced
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Male
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Methotrexate / administration & dosage
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Methotrexate / adverse effects
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Middle Aged
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Retrospective Studies
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Urologic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
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Vinblastine / administration & dosage
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Vinblastine / adverse effects
Substances
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Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor
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Vinblastine
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Doxorubicin
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Cisplatin
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Methotrexate