Chemotherapy Index

The chemotherapy index (CI) is an indicator that characterizes the breadth of the therapeutic effect of a chemical drug and shows the ratio of its minimum effective dose (MED) to the maximum tolerated dose (MTD).

The index is defined as the ratio of MED to MTD:

CI = MED / MTD

The higher the CI, the wider the therapeutic effect of the drug and the less likely it is to develop side effects.

Chemotherapeutic agents with high CI are used to treat severe forms of diseases, and with low CI - for the prevention and treatment of mild forms.

When choosing a drug for chemotherapy, it is necessary to take into account its CI and possible side effects. It is also important to take into account the individual characteristics of the patient, such as age, gender, health status and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Chemotherapy index.

The chemotherapy index is a relative indicator of therapeutic breadth, which is the ratio between the minimum effective dose (MED) and the maximum tolerated dose (MT). Depending on the value of this indicator, three groups of CTI are distinguished within one chemical compound: high, medium and low. High. Values ​​= 2.19. The therapeutic breadth is very large, while the dose-response is almost linear, i.e. an increase in the concentration of the drug only leads to an increase in its effect (under the influence of the drug it is possible to achieve a response to small dosages, not even exceeding the minimum allowable). Anti-cytokine drugs with high CTI are the most universal drugs for their patients. Average. Values ​​1.28.3.1. The drugs are able to maintain a therapeutic effect within a fairly wide dose range. The severity of tolerability varies significantly between patients. At the same time, it cannot be stated that it is completely harmless in patients with the least tractable course of the tumor disease. This rule is true regardless of the point of application of the drug - both receptor-mediated and neutrostatic. Low. Values ​​less than equal to 1. Such CTI is typical for toxic drugs with a stable course that is difficult to treat therapeutically. Increasing dosages of the drug in many cases leads to worsening tolerability. It is also noteworthy that products with such low indicators may not “enter” all sensitive ones, because pass through weak covalent bonds with target molecules.