MINE (chemotherapy)

MINE in the context of chemotherapy is an acronym for one of the chemotherapy regimens used for treatment of relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma as well.

Today this regimen is often combined with monoclonal antibody rituximab. In this case the regimen is called R-MINE or MINE-R.

The [R]-MINE regimen consists of:

1. (R)ituximab - anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that can kill both normal CD20-expressing B cells and malignant ones;
2. (M)esna to prevent the development of hemorrhagic cystitis which may otherwise result from ifosfamide administration;
3. (I)fosfamide - an alkylating antineoplastic agent from oxazafosforine group;
4. (N)ovantrone - a synthetic antracycline analogue (antraquinone) that is able to intercalate DNA and thus prevent cell division (mitosis);
5. (E)toposide - a topoisomerase inhibitor.