How does cyclophosphamide work for lupus?
How does cyclophosphamide work for lupus?
Cytoxan is in a class of drugs known as alkylating agents. This means it slows or stops the growth of malignant cells or other rapidly dividing cells, such as white blood cells that attack your body during a lupus flare.
How do you give cyclophosphamide SLE?
It may be used alone [54, 55] or sequentially after a 6-month course of IV cyclophosphamide. Administer IV cyclophosphamide monthly for 6 months and every 2-3 months thereafter, depending on clinical response. The usual duration of therapy is 2-2.5 years.
How is cyclophosphamide used to manage autoimmune issues?
Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide) is a medication that works by suppressing the immune system. It is an important treatment option for serious autoimmune diseases.
Is lupus treated with chemotherapy drugs?
One chemotherapy drug used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis is methotrexate. Many drugs used to treat one autoimmune disease also work in others because these conditions all share that overactive immune system. Methotrexate was originally developed to treat cancer.
Is cyclophosphamide an immunosuppressant?
Cyclophosphamide is a potent immunosuppressive agent acting on T and B lymphocytes.
What does cyclophosphamide treat?
Cyclophosphamide is used to treat cancer of the ovaries, breast, blood and lymph system, and nerves (mainly in children). Cyclophosphamide is also used for retinoblastoma (a type of eye cancer mainly in children), multiple myeloma (cancer in the bone marrow), and mycosis fungoides (tumors on the skin).
What is the latest treatment for lupus?
Two newer medicines (rituximab and belimumab) are sometimes used to treat severe lupus. These work on the immune system to reduce the number of antibodies in the blood. Arthritis Research UK has more information on the treatments for lupus.
What are the new drugs for lupus?
March 9, 2011 — The FDA has approved Benlysta, the first new lupus drug since 1955. Benlysta is approved for the treatment of patients with active, autoantibody-positive lupus who are getting standard therapy. Standard therapy includes corticosteroids, antimalarial drugs, immunosuppressive agents, and NSAID anti-inflammatory drugs.
Who should treat lupus nephritis?
Patients with lupus nephritis are best treated by a specialist who has considerable experience and expertise in the disease. This specialist might be the rheumatologist or the nephrologist, depending on the referral pattern and the rapport between patients and doctors.
