Thioplex® (There may be other brand names for this medication)
How is it Administered?
Thiotepa may be given intravenously (IV), which means it goes directly into a vein, or it can be delivered through a catheter (soft, flexible tube) directly into the bladder (for bladder cancer) or into a body cavity (to treat a build up of fluids).
What is it Used For?
Thiotepa is used to treat cancers of the bladder, ovary, or breast, Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and pleural, pericardial, or peritoneal infusions (fluid build-up in the lungs, around the heart, or in the abdomen) caused by metastatic tumors.
How Does it Work?
Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Both normal and cancer cells go through cycles that include a resting phase, active growing phases, and division. Your chemotherapy schedule is based upon the type of cancer you have, the rate at which they divide, and the times when each drug is the most likely to be effective. This is why chemotherapy is typically given in cycles.
Thiotepa is in a class of drugs known as alkalyting agents, specifically, it is an ethylenimine. Alkylating agents are most active in the resting phase of the cell.