ICE
Meaning of ICE: ICE is a combination chemotherapy regimen used for certain lymphomas that have returned or resisted earlier lines of treatment.
Definition of ICE
ICE is an abbreviation for a combination chemotherapy regimen made up of three medications: ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide. Combining multiple chemotherapy drugs with different mechanisms is a common strategy intended to increase effectiveness against cancer cells that may not respond fully to a single agent.
The ICE regimen is used primarily to treat certain lymphomas, including Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, that have returned after previous treatment or that did not respond adequately to an initial course of therapy. It is sometimes used to help reduce disease burden before a stem cell transplant.
As with other combination chemotherapy regimens, treatment with ICE is planned and monitored closely, with attention to the specific effects each of its component medications can have on the body.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The patient began the ICE regimen after the lymphoma returned following initial treatment.
Good to know
ICE refers specifically to a defined three-drug regimen rather than describing chemotherapy generally, so the term identifies a particular treatment combination used mainly for relapsed or treatment-resistant lymphoma.