Drug Status in USA : Approved Drug Status in Canada : Approved
pronunciation
pronounced as (da kar' ba zeen)
Why is this medication prescribed?
Dacarbazine is used to treat melanoma (a type of skin cancer) that has spread to other parts of your body. Dacarbazine is also used in combination with other medications to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease; a type of cancer that begins in a type of white blood cells that normally fights infection). Dacarbazine is in a class of medications known as purine analogs. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.
How should this medicine be used?
Dacarbazine injection comes as a powder to be mixed with liquid to be injected intravenously (into a vein) over 1 minute or infused intravenously over 15 to 30 minutes by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility. When dacarbazine is used to treat melanoma, it may be injected once a day for 10 days in a row every 4 weeks or it may be injected once a day for 5 days in a row every 3 weeks. When dacarbazine is used to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma is may be injected once a day for 5 days in a row every 4 weeks or it may be injected once every 15 days.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.
What are the precautions to be followed?
Before receiving dacarbazine,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to dacarbazine, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in dacarbazine injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take.
tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Dacarbazine may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
What are possible side effects of this medication ?
Dacarbazine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
nausea
vomiting
loss of appetite
diarrhea
sores in the mouth and throat
hair loss
feeling of burning or tingling on the face
flushing
flu-like symptoms
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
redness, pain, swelling, or burning at the site where the injection was given
hives
skin rash
itching
difficulty breathing or swallowing
fever, muscle aches, and general feeling of pain and tiredness
Dacarbazine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
How to store the medication and dispose it of after its use later?
Drug Category/Class
Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating
Alkylating Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 Inhibitors
Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 Inducers
Antineoplastic Agents
Immunosuppressive Agents
Antineoplastic and Immunomodulating Agents
CYP2E1 Inhibitors
CYP2E1 Inducers
CYP2E1 Inducers (strong)
Other alkylating agents
Prescribed
For the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma. In addition, dacarbazine is also indicated for Hodgkin's disease as a secondary-line therapy wh...