Hydroxyurea
Hydroxyurea is used most commonly for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.
When your neck is on the line
Hydroxyurea is also used for solid tumors and head and neck cancer.
Pharmacokinetics
Hydroxyurea is readily absorbed and well distributed into CSF after oral administration. It reaches a peak serum level 2 hours after administration.
Metabolism and excretion
About one-half of the dose is metabolized by the liver to carbon dioxide, which is excreted by the lungs, or to urea, which is excreted by the kidneys. The remaining one-half is excreted unchanged in urine.
Pharmacodynamics
Hydroxyurea exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase, which is necessary for DNA synthesis.
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Divide and conquer
Hydroxyurea kills cells in the S phase of the cell cycle and holds other cells in the G1 phase, where they’re most susceptible to irradiation.
Pharmacotherapeutics
Hydroxyurea is used to treat selected myeloproliferative disorders. It may produce temporary remissions in some patients with metastatic malignant melanomas as well.
Working with radiation
Hydroxyurea is also used in combination therapy with radiation to treat cancers of the head, neck, and lungs.
Drug interactions
Cytotoxic drugs and radiation therapy enhance the toxicity of hydroxyurea.
Warning!
Adverse reactions to hydroxyurea
Treatment with hydroxy-urea leads to few adverse reactions. Those that do occur include:
- bone marrow suppression
- drowsiness
- headache
- nausea and vomiting
- skin rash
- anorexia
- elevated uric acid levels, which require some patients to take allopurinol to prevent kidney damage.
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