The management of lomustine overdose in malignant glioma patients

Neurooncol Pract. 2014 Dec;1(4):178-183. doi: 10.1093/nop/npu023. Epub 2014 Sep 12.

Abstract

Lomustine is an oral alkylating drug commonly used for brain tumor patients. Recently, the lomustine-containing PCV polychemotherapy regime (procarbazine, CCNU/lomustine, and vincristine) in combination with radiotherapy has become the standard of care for anaplastic oligodendroglioma with 1p/19q codeletion and high-risk low-grade glioma. Here, we review the literature of all reported cases of lomustine overdose, highlight complications by exemplifying a case of inadvertent lomustine overdose, and outline the management of this potential complication of outpatient PCV therapy.

Keywords: CCNU; PCV; glioma; lomustine; myelosuppression; overdose.