Pralatrexate Intravenous and Toremifene Citrate

• Generic Name: pralatrexate
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Folotyn

Pralatrexate injection is used to treat peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) in patients who have already been treated with other medicines that did not work well. Peripheral T-cell lymphoma is a rare type of cancer that affects certain white blood cells and causes enlarged and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, and groin.

Pralatrexate belongs to the group of medicines called antineoplastics (cancer medicines). It interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed. Since the growth of normal cells may also be affected by the medicine, other unwanted effects may also occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor.

Pralatrexate is to be administered only by or under the immediate supervision of your doctor.

• Generic Name: toremifene
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Fareston

Palliative treatment of metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor positive or estrogen-receptor unknown tumors (designated an orphan drug by FDA for this use). Not recommended for treatment of estrogen-receptor negative breast tumors. Similar efficacy and toxicity as tamoxifen. Not known whether toremifene offers a therapeutic advantage over tamoxifen for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in eligible patients.

Under investigation for use as adjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer in node-positive postmenopausal women. Results from trials to date suggest similar efficacy and toxicity as tamoxifen.

Efficacy in treatment of advanced breast cancer in men not demonstrated.

Because of demonstrated cross-resistance with tamoxifen, usefulness of toremifene as second-line endocrine therapy for treatment of metastatic breast cancer refractory to tamoxifen appears to be limited.

Under investigation as a preventive agent for prostate cancer in men with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and no evidence of prostate cancer.