Vinblastine chemical structure
Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Vinblastine

Vinblastine is a drug used to treat certain kinds of cancer, including lymphoma and breast cancer or testicular cancer.

It was first discovered by Robert Noble and Charles Thomas Beer from examining the Madagascar periwinkle plant. Vinblastine was first discovered as a useful drug when it was crushed into a tea. The person who drank it had less white blood cells. Now, vinblastine is used to lessen immature white blood cells in a patient.


Home
Diseases
Medicines
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
Hydrocodone
Vagifem
Valaciclovir
Valcyte
Valganciclovir
Valine
Valium
Valnoctamide
Valproate semisodium
Valproic acid
Valpromide
Valrelease
Valsartan
Valstar
Valtrex
Vancenase
Vanceril
Vancomycin
Vaniqa
Vanticon
Vecuronium bromide
Velcade
Velivet
Venlafaxine
Ventolin
Vepesid
Verapamil
Verelan
Vermox
Versed
Vfend
Viadur
Viagra
Vicoprofen
Vidarabine
Vidaza
Videx
Vigabatrin
Viloxazine
Vinblastine
Vincristine
Vinorelbine
Viomycin
Vioxx
Viracept
Viread
Visine
Vistide
Visudyne
Vitaped
Vitrase
Vivelle
Volmax
Voltaren
Voriconazole
Vosol
W
X
Y
Z

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Pulmonary arterial hypertension: an unusual presentation of Hodgkin's disease
From CHEST, 10/1/05 by Matthew C. Exline

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary hypertension is a known complication of sarcoidosis; however pulmonary hypertension in patients with sarcoid-like reactions has not been described. We report a case of a patient with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with a sarcoid-like reaction and Hodgkin's disease.

CASE PRESENTATION: 48 year-old Caucasian female presented with progressive dyspnea on exertion for three years, markedly worse over last six months. ACT scan one year prior revealed diffuse mediastinal lymphadenopathy. A mediastinoscopy with lymph node biopsy showed granulomas and diagnosis of sarcoid was made at that time. Symptoms continued to worsen despite treatment with prednisone. Past medical history was also significant for hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia. She smoked 40 pack-years. Review of symptoms revealed arthralgias, Raynand's phenomena, night sweats, and a 25-pound weight loss over six months. Cardiovascular exam revealed a normal S1, S2 with loud pulmonic component, S3 present. A II/VI systolic murmur appreciated over left sternal boarder. Pulmonary function testing showed mild restrictive disease TLC 3.52 (72% predicted) with markedly reduced diffusion capacity DLCO 6.2 (27%). During six-minute walk she traveled 1033 feet desaturating to 82% on six L/min oxygen. Computerized tomography showed enlarged pulmonary vasculature and extensive lymphadenopathy. Right heart catheterization revealed: pulmonary artery pressure 79/38 mmHG (mean 46 mmHG) cardiac output 6.7 L/min, cardiac index 3.7 L/min/m2. There was no significant response to inhaled nitric oxide at 20ppm. Review of previous lymph node biopsy showed a sarcoid-like-granulomatous lymphadenitis with foci of Reed Sternberg cells, a diagnosis of stage IIB mixed cellularity Hodgkin's lymphoma was made. She was initiated on epoprostenol therapy by continuous infusion and underwent 6 cycles of vinblastine, chlorambucil, procarbazine, and prednisone. She is in remission 20 months post chemotherapy without reoccurrence of lymphadenopathy off steroids. She failed attempts to wean epoprostenol therapy, but displays improved exercise tolerance on epoprostenol, 1355 feet on six minute walk desaturating to 88% on room air. Repeat right heart catheterization showed: pulmonary artery pressure 48/21 (mean 30 mmHG), cardiac output 7.8 L/min, cardiac index 4.6 L/min/m2.

DISCUSSIONS: Sarcoid-Like reactions are defined as areas of noncaseating granulomas seen on biopsy in patients without symptoms of systemic sarcoidosis. Radiographically, patients with sarcoid-like reactions may present with hilar or mediastinal adenopathy, ground-glass infiltrates, or perivascular nodularity. Sarcoid-like reactions in malignancy may occur at the primary tumor site, in lymph nodes draining the region, or in distant organs such as the spleen, Liver, or bone marrow in up to 4.4% of patients with carcinoma, 7.3% patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 13.8% patients with Hodgkin's disease. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) develops in up to 28% of patients with sarcoidosis. The etiology of PAH in sarcoidosis is generally presumed to be secondary to parenchymal fibrosis and destruction of small vessels or granulomatous inflammation of the vessels. The response of PAH to treatment for sarcoidosis is uncertain, in case series, the hemadynamic response to steroid therapy lagged behind the radiographic and PFT improvement, and was not universal. In a small study, patients with severe PAH secondary to sarcoidosis were responsive to vasodilator therapy. PAH in association with sarcoid-Like reactions is not described and management is unproven.

CONCLUSION: This case underscores the association of lymphoma and sarcoid-like reactions and the possibility that PAH in these patients may be underappreciated. It also highlights the importance of a systematic evaluation for lymphoproliferative disease in patients with lymphadenopathy presumed to be sarcoidosis.

DISCLOSURE: Matthew Exline, None.

REFERENCES:

(1) Brincker H. Sarcoid reactions and sarcoidosis in Hodgkin's disease and other malignant lymphomata. Br J Cancer 1972; 26(2):120-123.

(2) Preston IR, et al. Vasoresponsiveness of sarcoidosis-associated pulmonary hypertension. Chest 2001; 120(3):866-872.

(3) Ghiskowski J, et al. Effects of corticosteroid treatment on pulmonary haemodynamics in patients with sarcoidosis. Eur Respir J 1990; 3(4):403-407.

Matthew C. Exline MD * Namita Sood MD The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

COPYRIGHT 2005 American College of Chest Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Return to Vinblastine
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay