Mustargen
Mustargen (mechlorethamine) is an injectable medication that's used to help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life in people with certain blood cancers, lung cancers, and cancers that have spread to other parts of the body. It has been discontinued by the manufacturer and is no longer available in the United States.
What is Mustargen (mechlorethamine)?
What is Mustargen (mechlorethamine) used for?
- Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
- Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (e.g., mycosis fungoides)
- Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
- Polycythemia vera
- Lung cancers
- Spreading cancer that causes abnormal fluid collection near certain organs (effusion)
Drug facts
Common questions about Mustargen (mechlorethamine)
Mustargen (mechlorethamine) is an injectable medication used for the treatment of certain cancers that affect the bone marrow, blood, lymph nodes, skin, or lungs. It's given by a trained healthcare provider into a vein. This medication can also be injected into certain body areas with abnormal fluid collection caused by cancers that have spread. Mustargen (mechlorethamine) prevents cells from making copies of itself by damaging its DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid; genetic material). This helps slow or stop cell growth (especially cancer cells) in your body.
No, Mustargen (mechlorethamine) has been discontinued and is no longer available in the United States.
The manufacturer (Recordati Rare Diseases) voluntarily discontinued Mustargen (mechlorethamine) in 2018 due to low demand of this medication. It wasn't taken off the market for safety concerns or lack of benefit.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which includes the bone marrow and lymph nodes. There are many different factors that your provider must consider in choosing the right anticancer medication for you, such as the type and stage of cancer you have. Some alternative medications, such as cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) and Leukeran (chlorambucil), work in a similar way to Mustargen (mechlorethamine). In addition to these medications, there are other types of treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well. Talk with your provider to determine a treatment plan that's best for you.
Mustargen and Valchlor both contain mechlorethamine as the active ingredient, but they're not the same. One difference is what each medication is for. While Mustargen (mechlorethamine) can be used for many types of blood and lymph node cancers, Valchlor (mechlorethamine) is only used for mycosis fungoides, a type of lymphoma that affects the skin. Another difference is how you use each medication. Mustargen (mechlorethamine) is an injection that's given by a trained healthcare provider. On the other hand, Valchlor (mechlorethamine) is a gel that you apply as a thin layer onto the affected areas of your skin once daily. The last important difference is the availability of the medications. Mustargen (mechlorethamine) is no longer available in the United States, but Valchlor (mechlorethamine) is still available at specialty pharmacies. If you have questions on the differences between Mustargen (mechlorethamine) and Valchlor (mechlorethamine), talk to your provider or pharmacist.
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Mustargen (mechlorethamine) dosage
Typical dosage for Mustargen (mechlorethamine)
