(DAK tin oh MYE sin) Brand: Cosmegen
• Dactinomycin is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
• You must not receive dactinomycin if you have recently had chickenpox or herpes zoster (shingles).
• Dactinomycin can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. You may get an infection or bleed more easily. Call your doctor if you have unusual bruising or bleeding, or signs of infection (fever, chills, body aches).
• Dactinomycin is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
• Dactinomycin is used to treat various types of cancers that affect the kidneys, uterus, testicles, bones, muscles, joints, and soft tissues. Dactinomycin is also used to treat solid tumors.
• Dactinomycin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
• You must not receive dactinomycin if you are allergic to it, or if you have recently had chickenpox or herpes zoster (shingles).
• To create certain you can safely take dactinomycin, speak your doctor if you have recently received radiation treatment for Wilms' tumor.
• Using dactinomycin may magnify your risk of developing another types of cancer, such as leukemia. Conversation with your doctor about your specific risk.
• FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use dactinomycin if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn child. Use effective birth control, and speak your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.
• It is not known whether dactinomycin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while you are using dactinomycin.
• Dactinomycin is injected into a vein through an IV. You will receive this injection in a clinic or hospital setting. Dactinomycin is generally given only on determined days during a treatment cycle. How often you receive this medicine depends on the condition being treated.
• Speak your caregivers if you feel any burning, pain, or swelling near the IV needle when dactinomycin is injected.
• Dactinomycin can be deleterious if it gets in your eyes, mouth, or nose, or on your skin. If skin contact occurs, rinse with plain water for at least 15 minutes.
• Dactinomycin can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. Your blood will need to be tested often. Your cancer treatments may be delayed based on the results of these tests.
• Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your dactinomycin injection.
• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
• Avoid getting this medication on your clothes. Destroy any clothing the medication has leaked onto if an accidental spill occurs.
• Avoid being around people who are sick or have infections. Speak your doctor at once if you develop signs of infection.
• This medication can pass into body fluids (including urine, feces, vomit, semen, vaginal fluid). For at least 48 hours after you receive a doze, avoid allowing your body fluids to come into contact with your hands or another surfaces. Patients and caregivers must wear rubber gloves while cleaning up body fluids, handling contaminated trash or laundry or changing diapers. Wash hands till and after removing gloves. Wash soiled clothing and linens apart from another laundry.
• Body fluids must not be handled by a woman who is pregnant or who may become pregnant. Use condoms during sexual activity to avoid exposure to body fluids.
• Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using dactinomycin, and avoid coming into contact with anyone who has recently received a live vaccine. There is a chance that the virus could be passed on to you. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), zoster (shingles), and nasal flu (influenza) vaccine.
• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor at once if you have:
· pain, swelling, burning, irritation, or skin changes where the injection was given;
· fever, chills, body aches, diarrhea, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat;
· swelling or tenderness in your upper stomach, weight gain, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
· feeling short of breath, urinating smaller than normal or not at all;
· chest pain, dry cough, wheezing;
· pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart course, trouble concentrating;
· light bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin;
· any wound that will not heal; or
· redness or your skin or the internal of your mouth and throat (if you are also receiving radiation treatment).
• General side effects may include:
· nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite;
· weary feeling, muscle pain;
· rectal pain or bleeding;
· numbness or tingly feeling near your mouth, quick or slow heart course, muscle tightness or contraction, overactive reflexes;
· hair loss;
· dry or cracked skin, chapped lips; or
· acne, mild skin rash.
• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
• Another drugs may interact with dactinomycin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Speak every of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medication you start or stop using.
• Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about dactinomycin.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
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