Mitomycin is used on its own or together with other medicines to treat cancer of the bladder, breast, stomach, pancreas, colon, lung, cervix, head and neck.
Mitomycin injection is to be given intravenously (into the vein). It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.
In the treatment of cancer of the bladder, it may be given directly into the bladder through a tube (catheter) inserted into the urethra.
Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.
The dose, route and schedule of administration of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the course of treatment depending on your condition and response to the medication.
Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any dose. Your doctor also needs to regularly monitor your response to Mitomycin.
If you miss an appointment or miss an injection with your doctor, alert your doctor or nurse. A replacement appointment or injection should be given as soon as possible.
Alert your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- thrombocytopenia (low blood platelet count)
- blood clot disorders
- increased bleeding tendency
as Mitomycin may not be suitable for you.
Do not use Mitomycin 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 taking this medicine.
Do not use this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- low blood cell counts
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- acute infections
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly. Routine tests (blood count monitoring, kidney function) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you will need to have these tests.
Mitomycin may cause weakness or tiredness. If affected, do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert or need to see clearly.
Other side effects include any of the following: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, hair loss and pain at injection site.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor immediately if you experience:
- signs of infection such as fever, chills, night sweats, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, mouth sore, tiredness, persistent cough
- difficulty breathing, shortness of breath or coughing up blood
- blood in urine, little or no urine passed
Mitomycin 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.
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:
- medicines for cancer e.g. vincristine, vinblastine
- medicines used in organ transplant or certain immune disorders e.g. tacrolimus, pimecrolimus
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Mitomycin.
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 a cool, dry place away from the reach of children. Protect from light.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
As this is a cancer medicine, always return any unused or expired vials to the clinic, hospital, or pharmacy for disposal.
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