Meaning of CHOP: CHOP is a four drug chemotherapy combination built from cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, most often used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Definition of CHOP

CHOP is an abbreviation for a chemotherapy regimen that combines four drugs, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, given together on a repeating cycle. The regimen is named using the first letter of each drug, with the O standing for Oncovin, a former brand name for vincristine.

CHOP is used most often to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a group of cancers arising from lymphocytes, and it works by combining drugs with different mechanisms of damaging rapidly dividing cancer cells, an approach intended to be more effective than any single drug alone.

CHOP is sometimes combined with an additional targeted antibody drug when the specific lymphoma subtype makes this combination appropriate, and the exact regimen used, along with the number of cycles given, depends on the type and stage of lymphoma being treated.

Also known as

CHOP regimen

Used in a sentence

The patient began treatment with the CHOP regimen for newly diagnosed lymphoma.

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Good to know

The O in CHOP stands for Oncovin, a former brand name for vincristine, so the abbreviation names four drugs even though the letters do not each correspond to a current generic drug name.

For learning, not diagnosis. This glossary provides general educational information and is not a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare professional. If you may be experiencing a medical emergency, contact local emergency services.