Carmustine

Carmustine, sold under the brand name BiCNU among others, is a nitrogen mustard beta chloro nitrosourea compound used as an alkylating agent in chemotherapy. It works by forming crosslinks between the two strands of a cancer cell's DNA, which blocks both DNA replication and transcription and prevents the cell from reproducing. It treats several brain cancers, including glioma, glioblastoma multiforme, medulloblastoma and astrocytoma, as well as multiple myeloma and both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and it is used to prepare patients for stem cell transplantation. A biodegradable wafer form called Gliadel delivers carmustine directly into the cavity left after brain tumor surgery, releasing the drug locally without needing to cross the blood brain barrier.