What does ABVD mean in MEDICAL

What Does ABVD Stand For?

As previously mentioned, ABVD stands for Doxorubicin (Adriamycin), Bleomycin, Vinblastine, and Dacarbazine - four separate drugs that have been combined for use in chemotherapy treatment regimens.

Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is an anthracycline antibiotic derived from Streptomyces peucetius and is one of the oldest forms of chemotherapy agents approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It works by damaging or destroying rapidly growing cells such as cancer cells and those involved in forming blood vessels that support tumor growth.

Bleomycin is an antibiotic that breaks down DNA within cells. It is often administered intravenously or via direct injection into the tumor mass itself. It has been found to be particularly effective against Hodgkin’s lymphoma when combined with other agents such as doxorubicin or vinblastine. Together they work by damaging DNA strands within rapidly growing malignant cells while being less toxic to normal healthy tissues than other chemotherapeutic agents available today.

Vinblastine is an alkaloid derived from the Madagascar periwinkle plant that acts against actively dividing cells at specific stages of their cycle. The binding between vinblastine and microtubules interferes with their function resulting in cell death through apoptosis - programmed cell death - preventing further replication of cancerous cells while leaving healthy tissue unharmed.

Dacarbazine is a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent that prevents cell division through reactions with cellular macromolecules essential for cell cycle progression. It works by attaching itself to key molecules within a cell thus stopping them from dividing whilst causing minimal damage to healthy tissue around it.

Why Is ABVD Used?

ABVD has become a popular choice amongst physicians due to its effectiveness against Hodgkin’s lymphoma coupled with its low risk of long-term side effects compared to other forms of chemotherapy available today. This multi-drug combination was first proposed in 1972 by Dr Stanford Roscoe Tannenbaum who noted that combining two alkylators – doxorubicin and dacarbazine - together with two antimicrotubules – bleomycin and vinblastine – provided superior results when treating tumors compared to single agent monotherapy alone at a time when advanced cancer treatment options were much more limited than they are now.