Dacarbazine

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 Indications 2 Dosage 3 Pharmacokinetics 4 Monitor 5 Adverse-effects 6 Drug-interactions 7 Test-interactions 8 Mechanism-of-action 9 More General Terms 10 Internet Database 11 References

Indications

• malignant melanoma
• neuroblastoma
• soft tissue sarcomas
• refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (used in ABVD regimen)

Dosage

• 375 mg/m2 IV on days 1 & 15 on the month
• 50-250 mg/m2/day for 5 days; repeat every 3 weeks
• 75-125 mg/m2/day for 10 days; repeat every 4 weeks

• Injection: 100 mg, 200 mg.

Pharmacokinetics

• activated by hepatic microsomal oxidases
• 10-15% penetrates CSF
• eliminated in the urine
• 1/2life is 5 hours
  

• elimination via kidney
• 1/2life = 5 hours

Monitor

• signs of extravasation during IV administration
• complete blood count ( CBC)

Adverse-effects

• (worse with consecutive doses)

• common (> 10%)

• nausea/vomiting (moderate to severe)
• diarrhea
• myelosuppression

• dose related
• onset: 7 days; nadir 10-14 days; recovery 21-28 days
• leukopenia (mild)
• thrombocytopenia (mild) may be delayed 2-3 weeks

• less common (1-10%)

• facial flushing, paresthesias, alopecia, rash, anorexia, metallic taste, flu-like syndrome

• uncommon (< 1%)

• anaphylaxis, hepatotoxicity, stomatitis, photosensitivity,

• other

• phlebitis
• neurotoxicity
• tissue necrosis after extravasation
• orthostatic hypotension
  
• drug adverse effects of alkylating agents

Drug-interactions

• phenytoin, phenobarbital, rifampin may increase metabolism of dacarbazine

Test-interactions

• increases serum K+

Mechanism-of-action

• alkylating agent
• vesicant

More General Terms

• alkylating agent
• antineoplastic agent (chemotherapeutic agent)

Internet Database

PubChem: 2942
PubChem: 5281007

References

1. Drug Information & Medication Formulary, Veterans Affairs, Central California Health Care System, 1st ed., Ravnan et al eds, 1998
2. Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug Formulary, 1998
3. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998

dacarbazine (DTIC)