Plicamycin: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use

Functions & Usage

What is Plicamycin used for?

Plicamycin is a drug for the treatment of cancer (antineoplastic). Plicamycin blocks the growth of cancer cells and slows down the growth and spread of cells in the body.

Plicamycin is useful for treating testicular cancer as well as excess calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia) and in the urine (hypercalciuria) which is associated with various forms of cancer in its advanced stages.

Plicamycin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in these treatment guidelines.

What are the rules for using Plicamycin drugs?

Plicamycin should only be given under the supervision of a healthcare provider experienced in using cancer chemotherapy agents.

The doctor will determine the appropriate amount and frequency of treatment with plicamycin depending on the type of cancer being treated and other factors. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about a treatment schedule. Your doctor may order regular blood tests and other medical assessments during your plicamycin treatment to monitor progress and side effects.

The healthcare provider will provide cladribine in accordance with the drug manufacturer's directions. If you are saving cladribines, follow the instructions given by your health care provider.

How to store Plicamycin?

Store the medicine at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom and freeze medication. Medicines under different brands may have different storage methods. Check the product box for instructions on how to store it, or ask the pharmacist. Stay away from children and pets.

It is forbidden to flush the medicine in the toilet or throw it into the drain if not told to. Properly discard this product if it is past the deadline or is no longer needed. Consult a pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more in-depth details on how to safely dispose of the product.

Precautions & Warnings

What should be considered before using the drug Plicamycin?

Before using this medication, consider the risks and benefits. This is a decision made by you and your doctor. For Plicamycin, the following should be considered:

Plicamycin is a very strong drug. Apart from its beneficial effects in treating medical disorders, this drug has side effects that can be very serious. Before receiving this medication, make sure you have discussed the benefits of the drug with your doctor.

Allergy

Tell your doctor if you have had any unusual or allergic reactions to Plicamycin or other medicines. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as food, coloring, preservatives, or animals. For over-the-counter products, read labels or packaging materials carefully.

Child

Studies on this drug have not been done in children; however, pliamycin can cause serious side effects in all patients. For this reason, you should especially discuss with your pediatrician the benefits and risks of this medication.

Elderly

Many drugs have not been studied especially in the elderly. For this reason, it may not be known whether they work the same as in young adults or whether they cause different side effects or problems in the elderly. There is no specific information comparing the benefits of Plicamycin in the elderly with benefits in other age groups.

Is Plicamycin safe for pregnant and lactating women?

Pregnancy

There are no adequate studies regarding the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This medicine is included in the risk of pregnancy category X (contraindicated).

Breastfeeding

There are not adequate studies in women to determine the risk to infants while using this medicine during breastfeeding. Consider the potential benefits against the potential risks before using this medicine while breastfeeding.

Side effects

What are the possible Plicamycin side effects?

Together with the effects required, the drugs may cause unwanted side effects. Although not all of these side effects are possible, if they do occur, medical attention may be needed.

Not everyone experiences the following side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug Interactions

What drugs can interfere with the action of the drug Plicamycin?

Using this medication with the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this drug or change some of the drugs you take.

• Rotavirus vaccine, live

Using this medication with the medicines below is usually not recommended, but may be needed in some cases. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or the length of time you take one or both drugs.

• Adenovirus type 4 vaccine, live
• Adenovirus vaccine type 7, live
• Bacillus Calmette and guerin vaccines, live
• Influenza virus vaccine, live
• Measles vaccine, live
• Mumps virus vaccine, live
• Rubella virus vaccine, live
• Chickenpox vaccine
• Typhus vaccine
• Varicella virus vaccine
• Yellow fever vaccine

Using this medication with any of the following medicines may increase your risk of side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or the length of time you take one or both drugs.

Can certain foods and drinks interfere with the work of the drug Plicamycin?

Certain drugs cannot be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with a healthcare professional about using drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

What health conditions can interfere with the performance of the drug Plicamycin?

The presence of other medical disorders may affect the use of this drug. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Bleeding problems - using plicamycin might increase the risk of bleeding.
• Blood disease
• Kidney illness
• Liver disease - use of plicamycin might make the condition worse.
• Chickenpox (including recent exposure)
• Shingles (shingle) - use of plicamycin might make a reaction to one of these conditions worse.

Dose

The information provided is not a substitute for a doctor's prescription. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose of Plicamycin for adults?

Adult dosage for testicular cancer

For the treatment of patients with carefully selected malignant tumors of the hospitalized testicles that are unlikely to be cured by surgery and / or radiation: 25-30 mcg (0.025-0.030 mg) per kilogram of body weight. Therapy should be continued for a period of 8-10 days if there are no significant side effects or toxicity during therapy. A course of therapy consisting of more than 10 daily doses is not recommended. Individual daily doses should not exceed 30 mcg (0.030 mg) per kilogram of body weight.

In patients with responsive tumor, some degree of tumor reduction is usually seen within 3-4 weeks after the initial therapy sequence, additional therapy sequences at monthly intervals are guaranteed. When the tumor is drastically reduced, it is recommended that additional courses of therapy be given at monthly intervals until the tumor disappears completely or until the tumor develops or new tumors appear even though the course of therapy is continued.

Usual adult dosage for hypercalcemia

In hypercalcemia associated with the development of a malignant tumor, the recommended dose of the drug is 25 mcg (0.025 mg) per kilogram of body weight per day for 3-4 days.

If the hypercalcemia has not subsided during the initial course of therapy, additional courses of therapy may be given at intervals of 1 week or more to achieve the desired results or to maintain normal serum calcium and urinary calcium excretion. Normal calcium balance may be maintained with a single dose per week or on a schedule of 2-3 doses per week.

Usual adult dose for hypercalciuria

In hypercalcemia associated with the development of a malignant tumor, the recommended dose of the drug is 25 mcg (0.025 mg) per kilogram of body weight per day for 3-4 days.

If the hypercalcemia has not subsided during the initial course of therapy, additional courses of therapy may be given at intervals of 1 week or more to achieve the desired results or to maintain normal serum calcium and urinary calcium excretion. Normal calcium balance may be maintained with a single dose per week or on a schedule of 2-3 doses per week.

What is the dose of the drug Plicamycin for children?

Safety and effectiveness have not been confirmed in pediatric patients (less than 18 years).

In what dosages and preparations is Plicamycin available?

Mithracin (plicamycin) is available in a vial as a freeze-dry preparation for intravenous administration. Each bottle contains 2500 mcg (2.5 mg) of Mithracin (plicamycin) with 100 mg of mannitol and enough phosphate disodium to adjust to a pH of 7.

To dilute, add 4.9 mL of sterile water for injection aseptically to the contents of the bottle and shake the bottle to dissolve it. Each mL of the solution will then contain 500 mcg (0.5 mg) of Mithracin (plicamycin).

What to do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (118/119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

What should I do if I forget to take medicine or forget to take medicine?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.