Tag: Brain tumors

Dexamethasone is the most commonly used corticosteroid for managing increased intracranial pressure (ICP) associated with brain tumors. This is because it potently reduces vasogenic edema and significantly lowers ICP. The question, however, is not simply, "**Does dexamethasone increase ICP?**" but rather, under which specific circumstances might its use be counterproductive or cause complications related to ICP?

While meningiomas are often benign and their exact cause remains unclear, recent large-scale studies have identified a significant association between the long-term use of certain progestogen medications and an increased risk of developing this type of brain tumor. This finding highlights a crucial area of pharmacovigilance for hormone-based therapies.

First approved in the United States in 1969, the chemotherapy agent procarbazine has been a mainstay in treating certain types of cancer, especially when used in combination with other drugs,. The most commonly recognized brand name answering the question "What is another name for procarbazine?" is Matulane, although other versions exist globally. This drug belongs to a class of medications called alkylating agents, which work by targeting and damaging the DNA of cancer cells.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly protective and selective barrier that blocks most chemotherapy drugs from reaching the central nervous system (CNS). This is also the case for Doxil, a pegylated liposomal formulation of doxorubicin, which in its standard form exhibits very limited penetration across the intact BBB.

Approved for use in the United States in 1969, procarbazine remains a key chemotherapy drug used in combination regimens to treat advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma and certain brain cancers [1.7.3]. So, what does procarbazine do? It functions as an alkylating agent, slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells [1.3.1].

In a retrospective study of 85 newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients, the cohort receiving carmustine wafers had a 2-year survival rate of 47%, compared to 29% for the non-carmustine cohort [1.14.1]. So, **what does carmustine do** to achieve these results? It is a powerful chemotherapy drug used to treat several types of cancer.

First introduced for brain tumor management in the 1960s, dexamethasone is a potent corticosteroid used to manage symptoms associated with brain tumors. This medication helps alleviate neurological symptoms by reducing inflammation and swelling, known as cerebral edema, surrounding the tumor.

As an alkylating agent, carmustine (BCNU) interferes with cancer cell growth by damaging DNA. A primary application of what is carmustine used for is in treating specific types of brain tumors and other serious cancers, both alone and in combination with other therapies.

Recent large-scale studies in France and the US have found that prolonged, high-dose use of specific progestogen-based medications significantly increases the risk of developing intracranial meningiomas, a type of brain tumor. The question, **what drugs cause meningiomas**, is increasingly being addressed with evidence pointing toward hormonal agents.