MOPP (chemotherapy)

MOPP is an acronym for a chemotherapy regimen used in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease. The regimen was developed by researchers at the National Cancer Institute in the 1960s and was the first combination chemotherapy regimen to achieve a high cure rate in metastatic cancer.

History

The MOPP regimen was developed in the 1960s by researchers at the National Cancer Institute including Vincent T. DeVita Jr. and George Canellos. It was the first combination chemotherapy regimen to achieve a high cure rate in metastatic cancer.

Regimen

The MOPP regimen consists of four drugs:

• Mechlorethamine
• Oncovin (vincristine)
• Procarbazine
• Prednisone

The regimen is repeated every 3–4 weeks.

Side effects

The MOPP regimen has significant side effects including sterility, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and an increased risk of secondary leukemia.

Alternatives

The MOPP regimen has largely been replaced by the ABVD regimen, which has fewer side effects and is equally effective. However, MOPP is still used in certain cases, such as when a patient cannot tolerate the drugs used in ABVD.

See also

• Chemotherapy regimens
• Hodgkin's disease
• ABVD