LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Vincristine: Drugs
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Vincristine is a drug used to treat certain types of cancer. Vincristine is available under the trade names Oncovin, Vincasar, and Vincrex, and may ... be referred to as vincristine sulfate, or VCR. The drug was previously known as leurocristine, or LCR.
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Vincristine is a naturally occurring vinca alkaloid. Vinca alkaloids act as antimicrotubule agents that block mitosis by arresting cells in the metaphase.3,4 These drugs act by preventing the polymerization of tubulin to form microtubules, as well as inducing depolymerization of formed tubules.5 Vinca alkaloids are cell cycle phase-specific for M phase and S phase.
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Vincristine belongs to a class of chemotherapy drugs called plant alkaloids. Plant alkaloids are made from plants. The vinca alkaloids are made from the periwinkle plant (catharanthus rosea). The taxanes are made from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree (taxus). The vinca alkaloids and taxanes are ... known as antimicrotubule agents. The podophyllotoxins are derived from the May Apple plant. Camptothecan analogs are derived from the Asian "Happy Tree" (Camptotheca acuminata). Podophyllotoxins and camptothecan analogs are also known as topoisomerase inhibitors. The plant alkaloids are cell-cycle specific. This means they attack the cells during various phases of division.
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Vincristine is chiefly used as one drug in multi-drug combination protocols against lymphoid and round cell tumors. Lymophoma in cats, lymphoma in dogs, mast cell tumors, and transmissible venereal tumorsoften include vincristine in their protocols.
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Vincristine is administered by injection, typically with a central venous line called a port-o-cath. The drug is injected once a week until improvement is noted and then the administration of the drug can be decreased. The main complications of this drug are constipation and jaw pain. The drug can have some neurotoxicity as well and therefore; the patient must be closely followed by a physician. Bilirubin levels should be monitored.
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Vincristine is used in combination with other drugs to treat leukemia. It is ... used in combination with other drugs, such as mechlorethamine, procarbazine and prednisone, to treat Hodgkin's disease. It is also used in combination to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and Wilms' tumor. Vincristine is also used less frequently to treat other types of cancer.
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