Drugs Five Years Later: Bleomycin

Abstract

Bleomycin was approved by the Food and Drug Administration [USA] in 1975 for therapy against [human] squamous cell carcinomas, testicular cancers and malignant lymphomas. An extensive bibliography on this drug indicates that there is little evidence of activity against other malignancies. Although initially used exclusively as a single agent, bleomycin has been considered recently for use in combination chemotherapy. Because of associated toxicity involving the lung and mucous membranes, bleomycin should be used cautiously by physicians, particularly in noninvestigational settings.