[Pharmacokinetics of nitrosomethylurea in oncologic patients]

Kinetics of blood-nitrosomethylurea (NMU) was studied in 68 patients with lung cancer, malignant melanoma and lymphoma who had received NMU-based combination chemotherapy. The results were used for computing main pharmacokinetic parameters such as logarithm of calculated initial concentration, time of half-elimination from blood, area under the kinetic curve of concentration, volume of distribution in the body and clearance. All those values were shown to significantly differ with individual patients. A longer retention of the drug in blood flow (as evidenced by increased time of half-elimination and area under kinetic curve matched by decreased volume of distribution and clearance) was registered in responders than in non-responders, the difference sometimes reaching statistical significance.