Dacarbazine (Systemic)
Brand Names : DTIC-Dome, DTIC
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will
do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For dacarbazine, the
following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to dacarbazine.
Pregnancy - There is a chance that this medicine may cause birth
defects if either the male or female is taking it at the time of conception
or if it is taken during pregnancy. In addition, many cancer medicines may
cause sterility, which could be permanent. Although sterility has not been
reported with this medicine, the possibility should be kept in mind. Dacarbazine
has caused birth defects and a decrease in successful pregnancies in animal
studies involving rats and rabbits given doses several times the usual human
adult dose. Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this
medicine. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are receiving
dacarbazine. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant
while receiving dacarbazine.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether dacarbazine passes into
breast milk. However, because this medicine may cause serious side effects,
breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are receiving it.
Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult
patients and there is no specific information comparing use of dacarbazine
in children with use in other age groups.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically
in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly
the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects
or problems in older people. There is no specific information about the use
of dacarbazine in the elderly.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When receiving dacarbazine
it is especially important that your health care professional know if you
are taking any of the following:
-
Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
-
Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
-
Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
-
Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
-
Colchicine or
-
Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
-
Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
-
Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
-
Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
-
Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) or
-
If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medicines - Dacarbazine
may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation therapy on the blood
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of dacarbazine. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
-
Herpes zoster (shingles) - Risk of severe disease affecting other
parts of the body
-
Infection - Dacarbazine can decrease your body's ability to fight
infection
-
Kidney disease or
-
Liver disease - Effects of dacarbazine may be increased because
of slower removal from the body
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