Melphalan

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Melphalan
Systematic (IUPAC) name
2-amino-3-[4-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]phenyl]- propanoic acid
Identifiers
CAS number	148-82-3
ATC code	L01AA03
PubChem	4053
DrugBank	APRD00118
Chemical data
Formula	C13H18Cl2N2O2
Mol. mass	305.2 g/mol
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	25% to 89%
Metabolism	hydrolysis
Half life	1.5 ± 0.8 hours
Excretion	Renal, significantly metabolised
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	?
Legal status	℞ Prescription only
Routes	Oral, intravenous

Melphalan hydrochloride (trade name Alkeran) is a chemotherapy drug belonging to the class of nitrogen mustard alkylating agents. It is used primarily to treat multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer, and occasionally malignant melanoma. Otherwise known as L-Phenylalanine Mustard, or L-PAM, melphalan is a phenylalanine derivative of mechlorethamine. The agent was first investigated as a possible drug for use in melanoma. It did not work, but was found to be of use in myeloma.

[edit] Administration

Oral or intravenous; dosing varies by purpose and route of administration as well as patient weight.

[edit] Side effects

Common side effects include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Bone marrow suppression, including
  • Decreased white blood cell count causing increased risk of infection
  • Decreased platelet count causing increased risk of bleeding

Less common side effects include:

• Severe allergic reactions
• Scarring of lung tissue (usually only with prolonged use)
• Hair loss
• Rash
• Itching

v • d • e Chemotherapeutic agents/Antineoplastic agents (L01) Alkylating and alkylating-like agents Nitrogen mustards: (Chlorambucil, Chlormethine, Cyclophosphamide, Ifosfamide, Melphalan, Bendamustine, Uramustine) Nitrosoureas:(Carmustine, Fotemustine, Lomustine, Streptozocin) Platinum (alkylating-like): (Carboplatin, Cisplatin, Oxaliplatin, Triplatin tetranitrate, Satraplatin) Alkyl sulfonates:(Busulfan, Treosulfan) Hydrazines:(Procarbazine, Dacarbazine, Temozolomide) Aziridines:(ThioTEPA) Antimetabolites Folic acid: (Aminopterin, Methotrexate, Pemetrexed, Raltitrexed) Purine: (Cladribine, Clofarabine, Fludarabine, Mercaptopurine, Pentostatin, Thioguanine) Pyrimidine: (Cytarabine, Decitabine, Fluorouracil/Capecitabine, Floxuridine, Gemcitabine) Spindle poison/mitotic inhibitor Taxane: (Docetaxel, Larotaxel, Paclitaxel). Vinca: (Vinblastine, Vincristine, Vindesine, Vinorelbine). Cytotoxic/antitumor antibiotics Anthracycline family: (Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Idarubicin, Mitoxantrone, Pixantrone, Valrubicin) streptomyces (Actinomycin, Bleomycin, Mitomycin, Plicamycin) - Hydroxyurea Topoisomerase inhibitors Camptotheca: (Camptothecin, Topotecan, Irinotecan, Rubitecan), Podophyllum:(Etoposide, Teniposide) CI monoclonal antibodies Receptor tyrosine kinase (Cetuximab, Panitumumab, Trastuzumab) - CD20 (Rituximab, Tositumomab) - other (Alemtuzumab, Bevacizumab, Gemtuzumab) Photosensitizers Aminolevulinic acid, Methyl aminolevulinate, Porfimer sodium, Verteporfin Tyrosine kinase inhibitors Axitinib, Bosutinib, Cediranib, Dasatinib, Erlotinib, Gefitinib, Imatinib, Lapatinib, Lestaurtinib, Nilotinib, Semaxanib, Sorafenib, Sunitinib, Vandetanib Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor Seliciclib Other retinoids (Alitretinoin, Tretinoin), Fusion protein (Aflibercept) - Altretamine, Amsacrine, Anagrelide, Arsenic trioxide, Asparaginase (Pegaspargase), Bexarotene, Bortezomib, Celecoxib, Denileukin diftitox, Elesclomol, Estramustine, Irofulven, Ixabepilone, Masoprocol, Mitotane, Oblimersen, Testolactone, Tipifarnib, Trabectedin