cytarabine + chlorambucil + etoposide + methylprednisolone

The combination of cytarabine, chlorambucil, etoposide, and methylprednisolone, frequently referred to as the **CyCEM** regimen, is a multi-agent chemotherapy protocol primarily utilized in the management of hematologic malignancies. This regimen integrates four distinct mechanisms of action: cytarabine acts as an antimetabolite that inhibits DNA polymerase; chlorambucil is a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent that cross-links DNA; etoposide is a topoisomerase II inhibitor that induces DNA strand breaks; and methylprednisolone is a synthetic glucocorticoid with lympholytic and anti-inflammatory properties. CyCEM has been clinically investigated as a low-intensity treatment strategy for elderly or frail patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), as well as a salvage or palliative option for patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The regimen is designed to provide synergistic antitumor efficacy while maintaining a tolerable safety profile in populations unsuitable for intensive induction chemotherapy.

Other names

CyCEM regimenCCEM regimen