Bone marrow depression prednisone

This is present in mechlorethamine (Mustargen), which is used in patients with Hodgkin s disease and other lymphomas, usually in combination with other drugs, such as in MOPP therapy (mechlorethamine, Oncovin [vincristine], procarbazine, and prednisone). It may cause bone marrow depression. 

Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan and Endoxan) is used in the treatment of Hodgkin s disease, lymphosarcoma, and other lymphomas. It is employed as a secondary drug in patients with acute leukemia and in combination with doxorubicin in women with breast cancer. A drug combination effective in the treatment of breast cancer is cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, and prednisone (CMFP). Cyclophosphamide is also an immunosuppressive agent. The toxicity of cyclophosphamide causes alopecia, bone marrow depression, nausea and vomiting, and hemorrhagic cystitis. 

Procarbazine (Matulane) inhibits DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis through the operation of an unknown mechanism. It is effective in patients with Hodgkin s disease when given in combination with mechlorethamine, vincristine, and prednisone (MOPP). Procarbazine causes neurotoxicity, bone marrow depression, and gastrointestinal injury. 

In one preliminary report, the addition of vinblastine to zidovudine resulted in severe bone marrow depression. Similarly, 9 of 21 patients could not tolerate zidovudine while receiving a chemotherapy regimen (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, teniposide, prednisone, vincristine and bleomycin) because of haematological toxicity. ... 

Azathioprine is an effective agent in suppressing the immune system in patients undergoing renal transplantation and in patients suffering from acute glomerulonephritis, the renal component of systemic lupus erythematosus, prednisone-resistant idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and functioning autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Azathioprine depresses bone marrow functioning, which is its chief side effect. 

The risk of depressing bone marrow with high doses of prednisone (2—3 mg/kg/day) has been illustrated in a case of immune thrombocytopenic purpura in an 8-year-old girUSl- ). 

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