• What is the most important information I should know about doxorubicin?

  Doxorubicin hydrochloride may cause serious side effects including:

  • Heart failure. Doxorubicin hydrochloride may cause heart muscle damage that may lead to heart failure, which is a condition in which the heart does not pump well. Heart failure is irreversible in some cases and can lead to death. Heart failure can happen during your treatment with doxorubicin hydrochloride or months to years after stopping treatment. Your risk of heart muscle damage increases with higher total amounts of doxorubicin hydrochloride that you receive in your lifetime. Your risk of heart failure is higher if you:
    • already have other heart problems
    • have had or are currently receiving radiation therapy to your chest
    • have had treatment with certain other anti-cancer medicines
    • take other medicines that can have severe side effects on your heart

  Tell your doctor if you get any of these symptoms of heart failure during or after treatment with doxorubicin hydrochloride:

  • extreme tiredness or weakness
  • fast heartbeat
  • shortness of breath
  • swelling of your feet and ankles

  Your doctor will do tests to check the strength of your heart muscle before, during, and after your treatment with doxorubicin hydrochloride.

  • Risk of new cancers. You may have an increased risk of developing certain blood cancers called acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) after treatment with doxorubicin hydrochloride. Talk with your doctor about your risk of developing new cancers if you take doxorubicin hydrochloride.
  • Skin damage near the vein where doxorubicin hydrochlorideis given (Injection site reaction).Doxorubicin hydrochloride can damage the skin if it leaks out of the vein. Symptoms of infusion reaction include blisters and skin sores at injection site which may require skin grafts.
  • Decreased blood cell counts. Doxorubicin hydrochloride can cause a decrease in neutrophils (a type of white blood cells important in fighting bacterial infections) and platelets (important for clotting and to control bleeding). This may lead to a serious infection, the need for blood transfusions, treatment in a hospital and death. Your doctor will check your blood cell count during your treatment with doxorubicin hydrochloride and after you have stopped your treatment. Call your doctor right away if you get a fever (temperature of 100.4ºF or greater) or chills with shivering.
• What is doxorubicin?
• Who should not receive doxorubicin?
• What should I tell my doctor before receiving doxorubicin?
• How will I receive doxorubicin?
• What are the possible side effects of doxorubicin?
• References

These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Doxorubicin Injection. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.

• What is bleomycin?

  Bleomycin sulfate is an antibiotic that comes from the bacterium Streptomyces verticillus and is used as a chemotherapy drug. It stops or slows the growth of cancer cells and other rapidly growing cells by damaging their DNA.

  Bleomycin sulfate is approved to be used alone or with other drugs as palliative treatment of:

  • Hodgkin lymphoma.
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.
  • Testicular cancer.

  Bleomycin sulfate is also approved to treat malignant pleural effusion and keep it from recurring (coming back).

  Bleomycin sulfate is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.

• References

These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Bleomycin Injection. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.

• What is vinblastine sulfate?

  Vinblastine sulfate is a prescription medicine used to treat certain types of breast cancer, choriocarcinoma (a type of gestational trophoblastic tumor), Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Kaposi sarcoma, mycosis fungoides (a type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma), and testicular cancer. Vinblastine sulfate stops cancer cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. It is a type of vinca alkaloid. 

  Vinblastine sulfate is approved as palliative treatment for:

  • Breast cancer that has not gotten better with other treatment. It is used in adults.
  • Choriocarcinoma (a type of gestational trophoblastic disease) that has not gotten better with other chemotherapy. It is used in adults.
  • Hodgkin lymphoma. It is used in adults and children with advanced disease.
  • Kaposi sarcoma. It is used in adults.
  • Mycosis fungoides (a type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma). It is used in adults.
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adults.
  • Testicular germ cell tumors. It is used in adults and children with advanced disease.
• References

These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Vinblastine Injection. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.

• What is dacarbazine?

  Dacarbazine is a prescription medicine used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma that did not get better with other anticancer drugs and melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body. Dacarbazine damages the cell’s DNA and may kill cancer cells. It is a type of alkylating agent.

  Dacarbazine is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:

  • Hodgkin lymphoma in patients whose disease has not gotten better with other chemotherapy.
  • Melanoma that has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body).

  Dacarbazine is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.

• References

These FAQs provide a summary of the most important information about Dacarbazine Injection. If you would like more information or have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider.