PCV
PCV is a combination of the chemotherapy drugs procarbazine, lomustine (CCNU) and vincristine.
PCV
PCV is a combination of 3 chemotherapy drugs. It is named after the initials of the drugs used:
- P – procarbazine
- C – CCNU also called lomustine
- V – vincristine.
It is best to read this information with our general information about chemotherapy and the type of cancer you have.
Your cancer doctor will talk to you about this treatment and its possible side effects before you agree (consent) to have treatment.
More information about this treatment
This information is correct at time of publishing. But sometimes the types of cancer this treatment is used for, or treatment side effects, may change between revision dates.
You can talk to your cancer team if you want more detailed information about this treatment. Or visit the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website, which has patient information leaflets (PIL) for individual drugs.
How PCV is given
You have PCV in the chemotherapy day unit. A chemotherapy nurse will give it to you.
During a course of treatment, you usually see a:
- cancer doctor
- chemotherapy nurse or a specialist nurse
- specialist pharmacist.
This is who we mean when we mention doctor, nurse or pharmacist in this information.
Before or on the day of each treatment, a nurse or person trained to take blood (phlebotomist) will take a blood sample from you. This is to check that it is safe for you to have chemotherapy.
You will speak to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist before you have chemotherapy. They will talk to you about your blood results and ask how you have been feeling. If your blood results are okay, the pharmacy team will prepare your chemotherapy.
You take procarbazine and lomustine as capsules that you swallow. You have vincristine as an injection into your bloodstream (intravenously).
Your nurse usually gives you anti-sickness (anti-emetic) drugs before you have the vincristine injection. You then have the vincristine injection through one of the following:
- a cannula – a short, thin tube the nurse puts into a vein in your arm or hand
- a central line – a fine tube that goes under the skin of your chest and into a vein close by
- a PICC line – a fine tube that is put into a vein in your arm and goes up into a vein in your chest
- an implantable port (portacath) – a disc that is put under the skin on your chest or arm and goes into a vein in your chest.
Your course of chemotherapy
You usually have a course of several cycles of treatment over a few months. Each cycle of PCV takes 42 days (6 weeks).
On day 1 you usually have the vincristine injection and lomustine capsules.
On day 1 or 2 you start the procarbazine capsules. You take these once a day for 10 days.
You then have a rest period with no treatment for the next 32 days. This completes your first cycle of PCV.
At the end of your rest period, you start your second cycle of PCV. This is exactly the same as your first cycle.
Your nurse or pharmacist may also give you anti-sickness tablets and other medicines to take home. Take all your capsules and tablets exactly as your nurse or pharmacist explains.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will talk to you about how the treatment will be given. They may give you a copy of a treatment plan to take home.
Taking lomustine and procarbazine capsules
Swallow lomustine and procarbazine capsules whole with a glass of water. Do not chew, open or crush them. You can take them with or without food.
You take lomustine on day 1. You start procarbazine on day 1 or 2 and take it for 10 days. Take it at the same time every day.
It is important to take these capsules exactly as your nurse or pharmacist explains. This means they will be more likely to work for you.
If you forget to take the procarbazine, you should take the missed dose as soon as possible, unless your next dose is due within 2 hours. In this case, you should skip the missed dose and take your next dose at your regular time. Always tell your doctor if you have missed a dose. Do not take a double dose unless your doctor tells you to.
Other things to remember about your capsules:
- Keep them in the original package and at room temperature, away from heat and direct sunlight.
- Keep them safe and out of sight and reach of children.
- Other people should avoid direct contact with chemotherapy drugs.
- Wash your hands before and after taking your capsules.
- If you are sick just after taking the capsules, contact the hospital. Do not take another dose.
- If your treatment is stopped, return any unused capsules to the pharmacist.
After taking procarbazine
Wear gloves when handling any pee (urine) or sick (vomit) you produce for up to 48 hours after taking procarbazine dose. Other people should also wear gloves when handling your pee or sick during this time.
About side effects
We explain the most common side effects of this treatment here. We also include some that are less common.
You may get some of the side effects we mention, but you are unlikely to get all of them. And you may have some side effects, including rarer ones, that we have not listed here.
Always tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any side effects you have. They can give you:
- drugs to help control some side effects
- advice about managing side effects.
It is important to take any drugs exactly as explained. This means they will be more likely to work for you.
Serious and life-threatening side effects
Some cancer treatments can cause serious side effects. Sometimes, these may be life-threatening. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can explain the risk of these side effects to you.
Contact the hospital
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will give you 24-hour contact numbers for the hospital. If you feel unwell or need advice, you can call at any time of the day or night. Save these numbers in your phone or keep them somewhere safe.
Side effects while treatment is being given
Allergic reaction
Some people have an allergic reaction while having this treatment. Before treatment, you will have medicines to help prevent or reduce any reaction.
Signs of a reaction can include:
- feeling hot or flushed
- shivering
- itching
- a skin rash
- feeling dizzy or sick
- a headache
- feeling breathless or wheezy
- swelling of your face or mouth
- pain in your back, tummy or chest.
Your nurse will check you for signs of a reaction during your treatment. If you feel unwell or have any of these signs, tell them straight away. If you do have a reaction, they can treat it quickly.
Sometimes a reaction happens a few hours after treatment. If you develop any of these signs or feel unwell after you get home, contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number.
Always call 999 if swelling happens suddenly or you are struggling to breathe.
The drug leaks outside the vein
Sometimes cancer drugs that are given into a vein may leak outside the vein. If this happens, some drugs can damage the tissue near the vein. This is called extravasation. Extravasation is not common, but it is important that it is dealt with quickly. If you have any of the following symptoms around the vein during or after your treatment, tell your nurse straight away:
- stinging
- pain
- swelling
- if you have white skin, the area may become red
- if you have black or brown skin, the area may become darker.
Common side effects
Risk of infection
This treatment can reduce the number of white blood cells in your blood. These cells fight infection. If the number of white blood cells is low, you are more likely to get an infection. A low white blood cell count is sometimes called neutropenia.
An infection can be very serious when the number of white blood cells is low. It is important to get any infection treated as soon as possible. Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour contact number you have been given if:
- your temperature goes over 37.5°C (99.5°F)
- you suddenly feel unwell, even with a normal temperature
- you have symptoms of an infection
- your temperature goes below 36°C (96.8°F).
Symptoms of an infection include:
- feeling shivery and shaking
- a sore throat
- a cough
- breathlessness
- diarrhoea
- needing to pass urine (pee) a lot or discomfort when you pass urine.
It is important to follow any specific advice your cancer treatment team gives you.
The number of white blood cells will usually return to normal before your next treatment. You will have a blood test before having more treatment. If your white blood cell count is low, your doctor may delay your treatment for a short time, until your cell count increases.
The doctor may also reduce:
- the dose of the drugs
- the length of time you take the procarbazine for the next cycle of treatment.
Bruising and bleeding
This treatment can reduce the number of platelets in your blood. Platelets are cells that help the blood to clot.
If the number of platelets is low, you may bruise or bleed easily. You may have:
- nosebleeds
- bleeding gums
- heavy periods
- blood in your urine (pee) or stools (poo)
- tiny red, brown or purple spots that may look like a rash – these spots can be harder to see if you have black or brown skin.
If you have any unexplained bruising or bleeding, contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number. You may need a drip to give you extra platelets. This is called a platelet transfusion.
Anaemia (low number of red blood cells)
This treatment can reduce the number of red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. If the number of red blood cells is low, this is called anaemia. You may feel:
- very low in energy
- breathless
- dizzy and light-headed.
If you have these symptoms, contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number. You may need treatment for anaemia. If you are very anaemic, you may need a drip to give you extra red blood cells. This is called a blood transfusion.
Feeling sick
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will prescribe anti-sickness drugs to help prevent or control sickness. Take the drugs exactly as they tell you to, even if you do not feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness than to treat it after it has started.
If you feel sick, take small sips of fluid often and eat small amounts regularly. It is important to drink enough fluids. If you continue to feel sick, or if you are sick (vomit) 1 to 2 times in 24 hours, contact the hospital on the 24-hour number as soon as possible. They will give you advice. They may change your anti-sickness treatment. Let them know if you still feel sick.
Loss of appetite
This treatment can affect your appetite. Don’t worry if you do not eat much for 1 or 2 days. But if your appetite does not come back after a few days, or if you are losing weight, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. They can give you advice. They may give you food or drink supplements. Or they may suggest changes to your diet or eating habits to help.
Feeling tired (fatigue)
This treatment can make you feel very tired and you will need a lot of rest. You may get tired easily for some months after treatment ends. Gentle exercise, like short walks, can help you feel less tired. The tiredness will slowly get better.
If you feel sleepy, do not drive or use machinery.
Problems passing urine (peeing)
If you are passing either more or, less urine (pee) than usual, or have pain when you passing urine, contact the hospital straight away.
Hair loss
Your hair will get thinner. Or you may lose all the hair from your head. You may also lose your eyelashes and eyebrows, as well as other body hair. Hair loss usually starts after your first or second treatment.
If you want to cover up hair loss, there are different ways you can do this. Your nurse will give you information about coping with hair loss.
Remember to protect your skin from the sun. Use suncream with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 on your scalp. Or cover up with a hat or scarf.
Hair loss is almost always temporary. Your hair will usually grow back after treatment ends.
Numb or tingling hands or feet (peripheral neuropathy)
This treatment may affect the nerves in your fingers and toes. This can cause numbness, tingling or pain in your hands or feet. This is called peripheral neuropathy. You might find it hard to do fiddly tasks such as fastening buttons or tying shoelaces.
If you have these symptoms, always tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. They sometimes need to change the drug or the dose of the drug. The symptoms usually improve slowly after treatment ends. But for some people they continue and are a long-term side effect of treatment.
Constipation
This treatment can cause constipation. Constipation means that you are not able to pass stools (poo) as often as you normally do. It can become difficult or painful. Here are some tips that may help:
- Drink at least 2 litres (3½ pints) of fluids each day.
- Eat high-fibre foods, such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread.
- Do regular gentle exercise, like going for short walks.
If you have constipation, contact the hospital on the 24-hour number for advice. They can give you drugs called laxatives to help.
If you have not been able to pass stools for over 2 days and are being sick, contact the 24-hour number straight away.
Tummy (abdominal) pain
Vincristine can cause abdominal cramps. Tell your treatment team if you have this. They can check the cause and give you medicine to help.
Jaw pain
Vincristine may cause pain in your jaw. Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice this.
Muscle or joint pain
You may get pain in your muscles or joints. If this happens, tell your doctor so they can give you give you painkillers. Tell them if the pain does not get better. Having warm baths and taking regular rests may help.
Effects on the liver
This treatment may affect how your liver works. You will have blood tests to check how well your liver is working. Sometimes liver changes can be serious. Contact the hospital straight away if you have any of these symptoms during treatment or after it finishes:
- yellow skin or eyes
- feeling very sleepy
- vomiting
- pain in the right side of your tummy (abdomen)
- loss of appetite.
Effects on the kidneys
This treatment can affect how the kidneys work. This is usually mild and goes back to normal after treatment ends. You will have blood tests to check how well your kidneys are working. Contact the hospital on the 24-hour number if you:
- have blood in your urine (pee)
- are passing less urine or peeing less often than usual.
Drinking fluids helps protect your kidneys. The advice is usually to try to drink at least 2 litres (3½ pints) of fluid each day. But follow any advice from your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about how much is right for you.
Sore mouth and throat
This treatment may cause a sore mouth and throat. You may also get mouth ulcers. This can make you more likely to get a mouth or throat infection. Use a soft toothbrush to clean your teeth or dentures in the morning, at night and after meals.
Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number, if:
- a sore mouth or throat affects how much you can drink or eat
- your mouth, tongue, throat or lips have any blisters, ulcers or white patches.
They can give you advice, and mouthwash or medicines to help with the pain or to treat any infection. Follow their advice and make sure you:
- drink plenty of fluids
- avoid alcohol and tobacco
- avoid food or drinks that irritate your mouth and throat.
Skin reactions
PCV can affect your skin and may cause a rash. Your doctor or nurse can tell you what to expect.
If your skin feels dry, try using an unperfumed moisturising cream every day. Always tell your doctor or nurse about any skin changes. They can give you advice and may prescribe creams or medicines to help. Any changes to your skin are usually temporary and improve when treatment finishes.
Less common side effects
Effects on the nervous system
PCV can affect the nervous system. You may
- have pins and needles in your hands and feet
- have tingling in your arms and legs
- feel drowsy or confused
- feel dizzy or unsteady.
Rarely, PCV can cause you to have seizures (fits). Your doctor can prescribe drugs to stop fits. They will explain more about this.
Tell your doctor or nurse straight away if you notice any of these symptoms. They may make some changes to your treatment. It is important not to drive or operate machinery if you notice these effects.
Hearing changes
This treatment may cause hearing changes, including hearing loss. You may have ringing in the ears. This is called tinnitus. You may also become unable to hear some high-pitched sounds. Hearing changes may get better after this treatment ends. But this does not always happen. If you notice any changes in your hearing, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Effects on the lungs
This treatment can cause changes to the lungs. Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you develop:
- a cough that does not go away
- wheezing
- breathlessness.
You should also tell them if any existing breathing problems get worse. You may have tests to check your lungs.
Eyesight changes
Rarely, PCV may affect your eyesight. Contact your doctor straight away if you have any eye pain or notice any changes to your eyesight. You may also have an eye check with a specialist eye doctor (ophthalmologist).
Diarrhoea
This treatment may cause diarrhoea. Diarrhoea means passing more stools (poo) than is normal for you, or having watery or loose stools. You may also have stomach cramps. If you have a stoma, it may be more active than usual.
If you are passing loose stools 3 or more times a day and this is not normal for you, contact the hospital as soon as possible on the 24-hour number. Follow the advice they give you about:
- taking anti-diarrhoea medicines
- drinking enough fluids to keep you hydrated and to replace lost salts and minerals
- any changes to your diet that might help.
They might also ask you for a specimen of your stool to check for infection.
Changes in blood pressure
This treatment can cause high blood pressure or sometimes low blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure and are on treatment to control it, tell your doctor. You may need to have regular blood pressure checks.
Low blood pressure can cause you to feel dizzy. Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice this.
Second cancer
PCV treatment can slightly increase the risk of developing a second cancer years later. But the benefits of treatment usually far outweigh this risk. Your doctor can talk to you about this.
Other information
Effects of alcohol and some foods
Procarbazine can cause a reaction when you have foods and drinks that contain a chemical called tyramine. Food and drinks containing tyramine can cause a reaction during treatment with procarbazine, and for 2 weeks after treatment ends.
This reaction can make you feel sick and cause headaches, sweating, drowsiness and breathing problems. This reaction is not common, but if you notice these symptoms contact the hospital for advice.
It is best to avoid:
- alcohol
- alcohol-free beers and wines
- mature cheeses (including processed cheeses)
- salami, pepperoni and bologna sausage
- yeast or meat extracts (Oxo®, Marmite® and Bovril®)
- broad bean pods
- over-ripe fruit
- any pickled, fermented, smoked or matured foods.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will give you more advice on foods to avoid.
Coeliac disease or wheat allergy
Lomustine capsules contain wheat. If you have coeliac disease or a wheat allergy, tell your doctor before taking the capsules.
Lactose intolerence
Lomustine capsules contain lactose. Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk and dairy products. If you have a lactose intolerance, talk to your doctor before taking lomustine capsules.
Blood clot risk
Cancer and some cancer treatments can increase the risk of a blood clot. Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number if you have any of these symptoms during or after treatment:
- throbbing pain or swelling in a leg or arm
- reddening of the skin in the area – if you have black or brown skin, this can be harder to notice, but the skin might become darker
- suddenly feeling breathless or coughing.
Always call 999 if you have:
- chest pain
- difficulty breathing.
A blood clot is serious, but it can be treated with drugs called anticoagulants. These thin the blood. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you more information about preventing and treating blood clots.
Other medicines
Some medicines can affect how this treatment works or be harmful while you are having it. Always tell your cancer doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any drugs you are taking or planning to take, such as:
- medicines you have been prescribed
- medicines you buy in a shop, pharmacy or online
- vitamins or supplements
- herbal drugs and complementary or homeopathic therapies
- recreational drugs – for example, cannabis.
Vaccinations
Doctors usually recommend that people with cancer have vaccinations for flu and for coronavirus (covid). These help reduce your risk of serious illness from these infections. Most people can have these vaccines, including people with weak immune systems.
If your immune system is weak, you should not have live vaccinations. Live vaccines can make you unwell because they contain a very weak version of the illness they will protect you against. Live vaccines include Zostavax®, which is a shingles vaccine, and the yellow fever vaccine.
It is important to ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice about having vaccinations. They can explain what vaccines are right for you and when it is best to have them.
Fertility
Some cancer drugs can affect whether you can get pregnant or make someone pregnant. If you are worried about this, it is important to talk with your doctor before you start treatment.
Changes to periods
If you have periods, these may become irregular or stop while you are having this treatment. They might return after treatment, but this does not always happen. Your menopause may start sooner than it would have done. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you more information.
Contraception
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will advise you not to get pregnant or make someone pregnant while having this treatment and for some time afterwards. The drugs may harm a developing baby. It is important to use contraception to prevent pregnancy. Follow their advice about:
- what types of contraception to use
- how long after treatment you should continue to use contraception.
Sex
It is possible that small amounts of chemotherapy may be passed on through vaginal fluids or semen. If you have sex during this treatment, your cancer team will usually advise using condoms or a dental dam to protect your partner.
Breastfeeding
You are advised not to breastfeed while having this treatment, or for some time after treatment ends. This is because the drugs could be passed to the baby through breast milk.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you more information.
Medical and dental treatment
If you need medical treatment for any reason other than cancer, always tell the healthcare professional that you are having cancer treatment. Give them the contact details for your cancer doctor or cancer team so they can ask for advice.
If you have appointments with a dentist, always tell them you are having cancer treatment. Talk to your cancer team before you have any dental treatment.
About our information
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References
Visit the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) to download a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) for more detailed information. The leaflet lists all known side effects.
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Reviewers
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert health professionals and people living with cancer.
Our cancer information has been awarded the PIF TICK. Created by the Patient Information Forum, this quality mark shows we meet PIF’s 10 criteria for trustworthy health information.
The language we use
We want everyone affected by cancer to feel our information is written for them.
We want our information to be as clear as possible. To do this, we try to:
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Date reviewed
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This means it is easy to use, up-to-date and based on the latest evidence. Learn more about how we produce our information.
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