Antiblastic drug combinations with ifosfamide: an update

Ifosfamide is an alkylating agent that is widely used in the treatment of various neoplasms, such as sarcomas, lymphomas, pediatric malignancies, germ cell tumors, lung, breast and ovarian cancer. The clinical toxicity of ifosfamide depends on the dose and administration schedules. The pharmacologic features of this drug enable its combination with other antiblastic agents, such as vinorelbine, gemcitabine, paclitaxel and docetaxel. Moreover, the pharmacologic profile of ifosfamide allows the use of this antiblastic drug in patients who have previously failed many other treatments, and a large percentage of responses has already been obtained. There is some concern about the optimal scheduling of the drug with other novel chemotherapeutics. Clinical trials that include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies may be the most efficient way to optimize the therapeutic efficacy of ifosfamide and define the dosing and scheduling. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel