MELPHALAN (ORAL/INJECTION)

(MEL fa lan) Brand: Alkeran, Alkeran I.V.

What is the most significant information I must know about melphalan?

• Melphalan 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).

What is melphalan?

• Melphalan is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.

• Melphalan is used to treat multiple myeloma (a type of blood cancer) and cancer of the ovary.

• Melphalan treats only the symptoms of ovarian cancer or multiple myeloma, but does not treat the cancer itself.

• Melphalan may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till using melphalan?

• You must not use melphalan if you are allergic to it, or if prior treatment with this medicine was unsuccessful in controlling your disease.

• To create certain melphalan is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:

· a weak immune system (caused by malady or by using determined medicine);

· liver disease;

· kidney malady; or

· a history of chemotherapy or radiation.

• Using melphalan may magnify your risk of developing another types of cancer, such as leukemia. Ask your doctor about your specific risk.

• FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use melphalan if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn child. Use effective birth control to avoid pregnancy during your treatment with melphalan. Follow your doctor's instructions about how long to prevent pregnancy after your treatment ends.

• This medicine may affect fertility (your capacity to have children), whether you are a man or a woman.

• It is not known whether melphalan passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while using this medicine.

How is melphalan given?

• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.

• Oral melphalan is a tablet you take by mouth. Injectable melphalan is injected into a vein through an IV. A healthcare provider will give you this injection.

• Your doctor will perform blood trials to create certain you do not have conditions that would prevent you from safely using melphalan.

• Melphalan can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. This can create it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being near others who are ill. Your blood may need to be tested often.

• Store melphalan tablets in the refrigerator and protect them from light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

• Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your melphalan injection.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What must I avoid while taking melphalan?

• Avoid being around people who are sick or have infections. Speak your doctor at once if you develop signs of infection.

• Avoid activities that may magnify your risk of bleeding or injury. Use extra care to prevent bleeding while shaving or brushing your teeth.

• Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using melphalan. The vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not fully protect you from malady. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), zoster (shingles), and nasal flu (influenza) vaccine.

• 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.

What are the possible side effects of melphalan?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have:

· bone marrow suppression--sudden weakness or ill feeling, fever, chills, pale skin, light bruising or bleeding, red or pink urine, painful mouth sores, cough, trouble breathing, feeling light-headed, rapid heart rate;

· inflammation of your blood vessels--numbness or tingling, red skin rash, unusual lumps or masses, fever, weight loss, muscle or joint pain, weary feeling, unusual bleeding; or

· liver problems--nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

• General side effects may include:

· missed menstrual periods;

· weakness; or

· temporary hair loss.

• 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.

What another drugs will affect melphalan?

• Another drugs may interact with melphalan, 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.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about melphalan.

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.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.