Which alkylating agent is known for its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier?

Carmustine is known for its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier due to its unique chemical structure and lipophilicity. This characteristic allows it to diffuse effectively through the central nervous system (CNS) tissues, making it a valuable option in the treatment of brain tumors and other CNS malignancies.

Carmustine is a nitrosourea compound, and nitrosoureas are specifically designed for this purpose. Their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier enables them to deliver chemotherapy effectively to brain tumors, where many other conventional chemotherapeutic agents may be less effective due to poor CNS penetration. This makes carmustine an important drug in oncology, particularly in managing conditions like gliomas and other brain lesions.

Other alkylating agents, while effective for various malignancies, do not have the same level of CNS penetration as carmustine, limiting their use in treating brain cancer.