ifosfamide + mesna

Ifosfamide + mesna is a combination chemotherapy regimen consisting of the alkylating agent ifosfamide and the uroprotective agent mesna. Ifosfamide is a cytotoxic antineoplastic drug that requires metabolic activation in the liver to form active metabolites which alkylate DNA, leading to cell death by forming inter- and intra-strand crosslinks. It is primarily used for third-line chemotherapy of germ cell testicular cancer but may also be used in other cancers such as sarcoma and lymphoma. A major toxicity of ifosfamide is hemorrhagic cystitis caused by its metabolite acrolein; therefore, it must be co-administered with mesna. Mesna acts as a detoxifying agent by binding to acrolein and other urotoxic metabolites in the bladder via its sulfhydryl group, neutralizing their harmful effects and preventing bladder toxicity without interfering with the antitumor activity of ifosfamide[1][2][5][6][8][9]. The combination is administered intravenously with appropriate hydration.

Brand names

Ifex + Mesnex

Other names

ifosfamide and mesna injectionifosfamide/mesna