Dacarbazine - Intravenous

Dacarbazine is used to treat cancer of the skin that has spread to other parts of the body.

This medicine may also be used together with other medicines to treat Hodgkin's disease (a type of cancer that starts from white blood cells called lymphocytes) and a certain cancer of soft tissues.

Dacarbazine may also be used to treat other conditions as decided by your doctor.

Dacarbazine is to be given intravenously (into the vein) as an injection or infusion. It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.

Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.

Before starting your treatment, you may be given other medicines to prevent or lessen the side effects of Dacarbazine.

The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the course of treatment depending on the type and 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 Dacarbazine.

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.

Do not use Dacarbazine if you ever had an allergic reaction (e.g. rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes) to this medicine or any of its ingredients.

Alert your doctor if you have a pre-existing bone marrow depression (a condition in which the blood cells are low) as Dacarbazine may not be suitable for you.

Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant or planning to have a baby soon. If you become pregnant while being treated with Dacarbazine, alert your doctor immediately. This medicine may cause harm to your unborn child. You must use proven birth control methods while using Dacarbazine.

Men should not father a child while being treated with this medicine. Men must use proven birth control methods during Dacarbazine 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 Dacarbazine.

Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• kidney disease
• liver disease

If you are going to have any dental work, inform your dentist that you are using Dacarbazine.

Why is it important to keep my appointments with the doctor?

Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.

• Routine tests (e.g. liver and kidney function, complete blood count) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
• Regular monitoring for signs of allergic and injection/infusion site reactions may also be needed.

Dacarbazine may cause any of the following side effects: headache, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, confusion, muscle pain, weakness, fever, hair loss, flushing, and numbness or tingling sensation in the face.

Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:

• rashes, breathlessness, swelling of the face, eyes or mouth
• burning sensation, irritation, and severe pain at the injection/infusion site
• yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, dark coloured urine, tiredness, swelling in the legs and ankles

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, 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.

Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or using any of these medicines:

• medicines used in organ transplants or certain immune disorders e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus
• phenytoin (medicine for epilepsy [fits or seizures])
• rifampicin (medicine to treat TB [an infection known as tuberculosis])
• levodopa (medicine for Parkinson's disease [disorder that affects the movement of a person, causing symptoms such as tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement and impaired balance or walking])
• fotemustine (other medicine for skin cancer)

This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Dacarbazine.

Avoid vaccinations with live vaccines during treatment with this medicine. Alert your doctor if you have been recently vaccinated or if you are planning to get vaccinated.

Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.

Avoid alcohol.

Store in the refrigerator, between 2-8°C. Do not freeze this medicine otherwise, it will no longer be effective and should not be used.

Protect from light.

Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.

As Dacarbazine is a cancer medicine, always return any unused or expired medicine to the clinic, hospital, or pharmacy for disposal. Do not throw it away in the household waste.