Alkeran Injection (Melphalan)
Alkeran Injection 50 mg
Melphalan
1. What Alkeran is and what it is used for
Alkeran injection contains a medicine called melphalan. This belongs to a group of medicines called cytotoxics (also called chemotherapy). Alkeran is used to treat cancer. It works by reducing the number of abnormal cells your body makes.
Alkeran is used for:
• Multiple myeloma -a type of cancer that develops from cells in the bone marrow called plasma cells. Plasma cells help to fight infection and disease by producing antibodies
• Advanced cancer of the ovaries
• Childhood neuroblastoma – cancer of the nervous system
• Malignant melanoma – skin cancer
• Soft tissue sarcoma – cancer of the muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, or other supporting tissue of the body
Ask your doctor if you would like more explanation about these diseases.
2. Before you have Alkeran
Do not have Alkeran if:
• You are allergic (hypersensitive) to melphalan or any of the other ingredients of Alkeran injection Do not have Alkeran if the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or nurse before having Alkeran.
Take special care with Alkeran
Before you use Alkeran, tell your doctor or nurse if:
• you have had radiotherapy or chemotherapy, now or recently
• you have a kidney problem.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or nurse before having Alkeran.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This includes herbal medicines.
In particular, tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking any of the following:
• other cytotoxic drugs (chemotherapy)
• nalidixic acid (an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections)
• ciclosporin (used to prevent rejection of organs or tissues following a transplant or to treat certain skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema oi to treat rheumatoid arthritis).
Having vaccines while you are taking Alkeran
If you are going to have a vaccination speak to your doctor or nurse before you have it. This is because some vaccines (like polio, measles, mumps and rubella) may give you an infection if you have them whilst you are being treated with Alkeran.
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Do not have Alkeran if you are planning to have a baby. This applies to both men and women. Alkeran may harm your sperm or eggs. Reliable contraceptive precautions must be taken to avoid pregnancy whilst you or your partner are having this injection. Ask your doctor for advice.
If you are already pregnant, it is important to talk to your doctor before having Alkeran.
Do not breast-feed while having Alkeran. Ask your doctor or midwife for advice.
3. How to have Alkeran
Alkeran should only be prescribed for you by a specialist doctor who is experienced in treating blood problems or cancer.
Alkeran injection can be given:
• as an infusion into your vein
• as a perfusion to a particular part of your body through an artery.
Your doctor will decide how much Alkeran you will have. The amount of Alkeran depends on:
• your body weight or body surface area (a specific measurement taking into account your weight and your size)
• other drugs you are having
• your disease
• your age
• whether or not you have kidney problems.
When you are given Alkeran, your doctor will take regular blood tests. This is to check the number of cells in your blood. Your doctor may sometimes change your dose as a result of these tests.
- If you have more Alkeran than you need
Your doctor will give you Alkeran so it is unlikely that you will receive too much. If you think you have been given too much or have missed a dose, tell your doctor or nurse.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Alkeran can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If you get any of the following, talk to your specialist doctor or go to hospital straight away:
• allergic reaction, the signs may include:
- a rash, lumps or hives on the skin
- swollen face, eyelids or lips
- sudden wheeziness and tightness of the chest
- collapse (due to cardiac arrest)
• any signs of fever or infection (sore throat, sore mouth or urinary problems)
• any unexpected bruising or bleeding or feeling extremely tired, dizzy or breathless, as this could mean that too few blood cells of a particular type are being produced
• if you suddenly feel unwell (even with a normal temperature)
• if your muscles are achy, stiff or weak and your urine is darker than usual or brown or red in colour-when you have Alkeran directly into your arm or leg.
Talk to your doctor if you have any of the following side effects which may also happen with this medicine:
Very common (affects more than 1 in 10 people)
• a drop in the number of blood cells and platelets
• feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and diarrhoea
• mouth ulcers – with high doses of Alkeran
• hair loss – with high doses of Alkeran
• a tingling or warm feeling where Alkeran was injected
• problems with your muscles like wasting and aching -when you have Alkeran directly into your arm or leg
Common (affects less than 1 in 10 people)
• hair loss – with usual doses of Alkeran
• high levels of a chemical called urea in your blood – in people with kidney problems who are being treated for myeloma
• a muscle problem which can cause pain, tightness, tingling, burning or numbness – called compartment syndrome. This can happen when you have Alkeran directly into your arm or leg
Rare (affects less than 1 in 1,000 people)
• an illness where you have a low number of red blood cells as they are being destroyed prematurely – this can make you feel very tired, breathless and dizzy and can give you headaches or make your skin or eyes yellow
• lung problems which may make you cough or wheeze and make it difficult to breathe
• liver problems which may show up in your blood tests or cause jaundice (yellowing of the whites of eyes and skin)
• mouth ulcers – with normal doses of Alkeran
• skin rashes or itching skin
The following side effects also happen with Alkeran:
• leukaemia-cancer of the blood
• in women: your periods stopping
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
5. How to store Alkeran
• Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
• Do not use Alkeran after the expiry date, which is stated on the pack after ‘Exp‘.
• Do not store Alkeran Injection above 30°C. Do not refrigerate. Keep the vial in the outer carton, to protect from light.
• Your Alkeran Injection will be prepared for use by a healthcare professional. Once prepared it should be used immediately and must not be stored or refrigerated.
6. Further information
- What Alkeran contains
The active ingredient is melphalan. Each Alkeran injection contains 50 mg of melphalan.
The other ingredients are povidone K12 and hydrochloric acid. Alkeran is dissolved in a diluent before being injected. The diluent contains water, sodium citrate, propylene glycol and ethanol.
- What Alkeran looks like and contents of the pack
Each pack contains one Alkeran Injection vial and one Alkeran Injection Diluent vial.
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