Azacitidine is used to treat myelodysplastic syndromes (a group of disorders in which blood-forming cells in the bone marrow do not become healthy blood cells).
It is also used to treat chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (a type of chronic cancer of the blood in which a person's bone marrow does not make blood effectively) and acute myeloid leukaemia (a type of blood cancer where the bone marrow produces too many white blood cells).
This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as decided by your doctor.
Azacitidine injection is to be given intravenously (into the vein) as an infusion. It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.
It may also be injected subcutaneously (into the fatty layer under the skin, usually in the thigh, upper arm, or abdomen area).
Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the course of your treatment depending on the severity of your condition and your response to the medication.
Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any doses. Your doctor also needs to regularly monitor your response to Azacitidine.
If you miss an appointment or miss an injection, alert your doctor or nurse. A replacement appointment or injection should be given as soon as possible.
Alert your doctor if you have advanced liver cancer as this medicine may not be suitable for you.
It is important that you do not get pregnant while taking this medicine. You must use proven birth control methods during Azacitidine therapy and for at least 6 months after stopping the treatment.
Men should not father a child while being treated with Azacitidine. Men must use proven birth control methods during Azacitdine therapy and for 3 months after stopping the treatment. You may wish to discuss other reliable methods of birth control with your doctor.
Do not breastfeed while you are being treated with Azacitidine.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- heart disease
- lung disease
For as long as you are using this medicine, you may need to have regular blood tests to check your body's response to the medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have blood tests.
Azacitidine may cause tiredness. If affected, do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert.
Other side effects include any of the following: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion, stomach pain, mouth sores or irritation, lack of appetite, headache, tiredness, difficulty sleeping, muscle or joint pain, and injection site pain, redness, or swelling.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, dark coloured urine, tiredness, swelling in the legs and ankles
- pain or difficulty in passing urine, change in how much urine is passed, blood in the urine
- muscle cramps, twitches, weakness, numbness or tingling, diarrhoea, fatigue
- red, painful lump on the skin that spreads
- chills, confusion or delirium, fever, rapid heartbeat
This medicine will cause the level of your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to drop.
Red blood cells carry oxygen around your body. A fall in the level of red blood cells may make you feel tired and worn out.
White blood cells help your body to fight infections. A fall in the level of your white blood cells may put you at higher risk for infections, such as coughs, colds and flu, which may lead to more serious infections. Avoid crowded places and people who are sick. Alert your doctor if you have a fever, or a cough or flu that does not go away.
Platelets help your blood to clot when there is a cut in the skin. A fall in the level of your platelets may put you at risk of bleeding more than usual. Do not take part in activities where you may fall or get injured, such as contact sports. Alert your doctor if you get any unusual bruising (large bruises or several bruises, especially if the bruises appeared on their own) or bleeding that takes a long time to stop (for example, too much bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth).
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or using any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
As Azacitidine is a cancer medicine, always return any unused or expired vial to the clinic, hospital, or pharmacy for disposal. Do not throw it away in the household waste.
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