FCM, or FMC in the context of
chemotherapy is an
acronym for a
chemotherapy regimen that is often used in the
treatment of indolent
B cell
B cells, also known as B lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell of the lymphocyte subtype. They function in the humoral immunity component of the adaptive immune system. B cells produce antibody molecules which may be either secreted or ...
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
In combination with
Rituximab this regimen is called R-FCM or R-FMC, or FCM-R, FMC-R.
The
FCM regimen contains
#
(R)ituximab -
anti-CD20 monoclonal
Monoclonality refers to the state of a line of cells that have been derived from a single clonal origin. Thus "monoclonal cells" can be said to form a single clone. The term ''monoclonal'' comes from the Ancient Greek ''monos'', meaning "alone" o ...
antibody that can kill both normal and
malignant CD20-bearing
B cell
B cells, also known as B lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell of the lymphocyte subtype. They function in the humoral immunity component of the adaptive immune system. B cells produce antibody molecules which may be either secreted or ...
s;
#
(F)ludarabine - an
antimetabolite;
#
(C)yclophosphamide - an
alkylating antineoplastic agent from the oxazafosforine group;
#
(M)itoxantrone - a synthetic
anthracycline analogue (anthraquinone) that can
intercalate
Intercalation may refer to:
*Intercalation (chemistry), insertion of a molecule (or ion) into layered solids such as graphite
* Intercalation (timekeeping), insertion of a leap day, week or month into some calendar years to make the calendar foll ...
DNA, thereby preventing
cell division.
[http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/104/10/3064.full?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=1&andorexacttitle=and&andorexacttitleabs=and&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&volume=104&firstpage=3064&resourcetype=HWCIT&sso-checked=true The addition of rituximab to a combination of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone (FCM) significantly increases the response rate and prolongs survival as compared with FCM alone in patients with relapsed and refractory follicular and mantle cell lymphomas: results of a prospective randomized study of the German Low-Grade Lymphoma Study Group]]
The FCM or R-FCM regimen is also sometimes used in some
autoimmune disease
An autoimmune disease is a condition arising from an abnormal immune response to a functioning body part. At least 80 types of autoimmune diseases have been identified, with some evidence suggesting that there may be more than 100 types. Nearly a ...
s that are inherently sensitive to the use of rituximab, fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and cyclophosphamide alone in monotherapies (e.g., in severe
multiple sclerosis
Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
flares).
Dosing regimen
References
{{reflist
Chemotherapy regimens used in lymphoma