melphalan + etoposide + prednisone

This is a combination chemotherapy regimen consisting of three drugs—melphalan, etoposide, and prednisone. Melphalan is an alkylating agent that cross-links DNA strands, leading to inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis and cell death. Etoposide is a podophyllotoxin derivative that inhibits topoisomerase II, causing double-stranded DNA breaks and preventing cell division. Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties; in oncology regimens it also induces apoptosis in certain cancer cells. This combination may be used as part of conditioning regimens prior to autologous stem cell transplantation or for the treatment of hematologic malignancies such as multiple myeloma or lymphoma[1][5][7]. The specific use of this exact three-drug combination (melphalan + etoposide + prednisone) appears less common than other established regimens but may be considered in select clinical scenarios.