MOPP is a combination chemotherapy regimen used to treat Hodgkin's disease. The acronym is derived from the component drugs of the regimen:
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The treatment is usually administered in four week cycles, often for six cycles. MSD and VCR are administered intravenously, while procarbazine and prednisone are pills taken orally. A newer Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment is ABVD.
C-MOPP involves switching the nitrogen mustard from mechlorethamine to cyclophosphamide. C-MOPP is thus very similar to COPP, using the same 4 agents and differing at most in dosages and timing.
History
MOPP was the first combination chemotherapy brought in that achieved a high success rate. It was developed at the National Cancer Institute in the 1960s by a team that included Vincent DeVita, Jr..
Although no longer the most effective combination, MOPP is still used after relapse or where the patient has certain allergies or lung or heart problems which prevents the use of another regimen.
Side effects
There is 20% chance of developing a second cancer within 20 years of MOPP treatment. As a result, MOPP is rarely used any more for treatment for Hodgkin's. MOPP has been known to cause alopecia (hair loss) and skin sensitivity (especially to sunlight). Nausea, vomiting, and stomachache are common, as are chills, constipation, and frequent urination. Permanent sterility is a frequent side effect.