Dacarbazine is used to treat skin cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma (cancer originating from white blood cells).
Dacarbazine injection is to be given intravenously (into the vein). It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.
Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.
Alert your doctor if you have the following:
- blood disorders e.g. leucopenia (decrease of white blood cells), thrombocytopenia (decrease of platelets)
- severe liver disease
- severe kidney disease
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 this medicine, alert your doctor immediately. This medicine may cause harm to your unborn child. You must use proven birth control methods while using this medicine.
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly. He may also need to do routine blood tests while you are being treated with Dacarbazine.
Dacarbazine may cause any of the following side effects: loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and pain and irritation at the injection site.
This medicine will cause the level of your white blood cells and platelets to drop.
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.
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:
- vaccines e.g. hepatitis vaccine, flu vaccine
- medicines for epilepsy (seizure or fits) e.g. phenobarbital, carbamazepine
- levodopa (medicine for Parkinson's disease)
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Dacarbazine.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics, such as traditional Chinese medicine, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in the refrigerator, between 2-8 °C. Do not allow to freeze. If frozen, this medicine will become ineffective and should not be used.
Medicine must not be used past the expiry date.
Sign Out
