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Introduction of Dactinomycin
Dactinomycin is a cancer (antineoplastic) medication.
Dactinomycin interferes with the growth of cancer cells and
slows their growth and spread in the body. Dactinomycin is
used to treat Wilm's tumor, childhood rhabdomyosarcoma,
Ewing's sarcoma, and testicular cancer.
Dactinomycin is also
used in the treatment of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia
and in the treatment of locally recurrent solid malignancies.
Dactinomycin may also be used for purposes other than those
listed in this medication guide
Precautions before using
Dactinomycin
Do not use dactinomycin without first talking to your doctor
if you have recently had chickenpox or shingles any other type
of infection; or decreased bone marrow function.
Dactinomycin is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means
that dactinomycin is known to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do
not use dactinomycin without first talking to your doctor if
you are pregnant. Discuss with your doctor the appropriate use
of birth control during treatment with dactinomycin if
necessary. It is not know whether dactinomycin passes into
breast milk. Breast feeding should be avoided during treatment
with dactinomycin.
Side effects of Dactinomycin
If you experience any of the following serious side effects
from dactinomycin, seek emergency medical attention or contact
your doctor immediately:
-
an allergic reaction (including difficulty
breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips,
tongue, or face; or hives)
-
decreased bone marrow function and blood
problems (extreme fatigue; increased susceptibility to
infection; slow wound healing; easy bruising or bleeding; or
sore throat, fever, chills, or signs of infection)
-
abdominal pain or black, bloody, or tarry
stools
-
sore mouth (inflammation and sores on the
lips or inside the mouth)
-
severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of
appetite
-
redness, pain, or swelling at the place of
injection or anywhere else on your skin
In some cases, second malignancies have been reported to occur
during and following treatment with dactinomycin. Talk to your
doctor about the risks and benefits of this medication.
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur.
Continue taking dactinomycin and talk to your doctor if you
experience:
-
hair loss
-
fatigue
-
mild to moderate nausea, vomiting, or loss of
appetite
-
skin eruptions, acne, or a flare-up of skin
redness or increased color of the skin where radiation
treatments were done
Disclaimer:
Information on this page is provided for general
information purposes. You should not make a clinical treatment
decision based on information contained in this page without
consulting other references including the package insert of
the drug, textbooks and where relevant, expert opinion. We
cannot be held responsible for any errors you make in
administering drugs mentioned on this page, nor for use of any
erroneous information contained on this page.
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