Drug Groups

approved

Description

A nitrogen mustard linked to estradiol, usually as phosphate; used to treat prostatic neoplasms; also has radiation protective properties. [PubChem]

Indication

For the palliative treatment of patients with metastatic and/or progressive carcinoma of the prostate

Pharmacology

Estramustine is an antineoplastic agent indicated in the palliative treatment of patients with metastatic and/or progressive carcinoma of the prostate. Estramustine is a combination of estradiol with nitrogen mustard. In vivo, the nitrogen-mustard moiety becomes active and participates in alkylation of DNA or other cellular components.. This causes DNA damage in rapidly dividing cancerous cells leading to cell death and ideally, tumor shrinkage.

Affected Organisms

Half Life

20 hours

Elimination

The metabolic urinary patterns of the estradiol moiety of estramustine phosphate and estradiol itself are very similar, although the metabolites derived from estramustine phosphate are excreted at a slower rate.

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