Hyper CVAD chemotherapy is a form of treatment that is given to those diagnosed with leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia or ALL and some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The term ‘hyper’ in hyper CVAD refers to the nature of this particular chemotherapy. It is given in what is called ‘hyperfractionated’ manner and hence the term hyper. The term hyperfractionated means that the drug is not given in one dose but more than one dose is given in a day. The second half of hyper CVAD i.e. CVAD is an acronym that stands for the drugs used in the hyper CVAD chemotherapy regimen. The names of the chemotherapy drugs used in this treatment will be mentioned later in the article. Hyper CVAD chemotherapy is a different kind of chemotherapy that is used to treat severe cases of hematological malignancy or the types of cancer that affect the bone marrow, lymph nodes and blood.

Hyper CVAD Chemotherapy Drugs

The hyper CVAD chemotherapy drugs consist of the following:

• C - Cyclophosphamide
• V - Vincristine
• A - Doxorubicin, the brand name for which is Adriamycin
• D - Dexamethasone

Dexamethasone is a steroid. The above mentioned four drugs are the ones that are used in the hyper CVAD chemotherapy treatment. However, there are two more drugs that are used in this regimen, the names of which are methotrexate and cytarabine. Although the chemotherapy treatment is commonly known as hyper CVAD, because of the use of these two drugs it is also referred as hyper CVAD / MTX-Cytarabine.

Administering Hyper CVAD Chemotherapy Drugs

Administration of hyper CVAD chemotherapy drugs differs from individual to individual as body weight, overall health and other factors need to be considered before giving the chemotherapy treatment. In case of hyper CVAD chemotherapy, the treatment is bifurcated into two courses or schedules namely Course / Schedule A and B. Course A or schedule A generally consists of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin and dexamethasone. However, methotrexate may also be given along with the other drugs in course / schedule A. Course B majorly involves the use of cytarabine and methotrexate along with other drugs such as leucovorin that is given to reduce the damage caused by metotrexate and others depending on the individual case. Generally, around 8 cycles of chemotherapy is given in every 21 days wherein schedule / course A alternates with schedule / course B. Please note that this was just a rough illustration of how the treatment is given and therefore should not be considered to be the exact treatment procedure for hyper CVAD chemotherapy. Please consult your doctor for more information on the cycles of hyper CVAD chemotherapy and the drugs used in each cycle as this was only a broad overview of how the treatment is generally carried out.

Hyper CVAD Chemotherapy Side Effects

Like all chemotherapy treatments, hyper CVAD chemotherapy also has its side effects that could be taken care of with proper care, attention and medication. Again in some cases the side effects may not be really noticeable and in others there may be many side effects that may appear. Given below are some of the common side effects of hyper CVAD chemotherapy.

• Low Count of Platelets - Platelets are small cells found in the blood and helps in the general process of blood clotting. Unexplained bleeding or bruising suggests that the count of platelets in the blood is less than normal.
• Low Count of White and Red Blood Cells - Low white blood cell count weakens the immune system and the body is at a higher risk of infections. Low red blood cell count results in anemia. Shortness of breath and fatigue are some of the problems experienced by an anemic person.
• Alopecia / Hair Loss - Thinning and / or falling off of hair may be noticed by patients after 3 to 4 weeks of undergoing the first course of hyper CVAD chemotherapy treatment.
• Palate Changes - As an effect of the chemotherapy drugs, the food that was loved by the patient before the treatment may seem tasteless. However, consuming nutritional food is a must during the treatment. Consult with your doctor for some useful tips.
• Nausea and Vomiting - Although anti-sickness drugs are given before the chemotherapy treatment, one may still experience nausea as a side effect. One could eat small and frequent meals to overcome the problem of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting.
• Mouth Sores and Ulcers - Dryness of mouth and mouth sores are some of the common side effects of hyper CVAD chemotherapy. By maintaining basic dental hygiene such as cleaning the teeth at least twice a day (using a soft toothbrush), using mouthwash and drinking plenty of water and other fluids can relieve the problem of mouth sores and ulcers.

Some of the other common side effects of hyper CVAD chemotherapy include neuropathy or numbness and / or tingling in hands and feet, skin changes, diarrhea, constipation etc. If any of the mentioned side effects or other problems are noticed in the patient, the doctor should be contacted for immediate advice.