I really hope that Medical World can find permanent cure for cancer and all kind illness
Note: Excerpt and Information rewritten or copied from American Cancer Society
Cisplatin (FDA Approved before 1984)
Trade/other name(s)
Platinol
Pronunciation: sis-plah-tin
Why would this drug be used?
Cisplatin is used to treat testicular, bladder, and ovarian cancers that have spread. It also can be used to treat several other cancers, such as lung cancer.
How does this drug work?
Cisplatin is a platinum-compound chemotherapy drug that acts that same as an alkylating agent. Cisplatin stops cancer cells from growing, causing them to die.
Before taking this medicine
Tell doctor:
- If patient are allergic to anything, including medicines, dyes, additives, or foods.
- If patient have any medical conditions such as kidney disease, liver disease (including hepatitis), heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, gout, or infections. These conditions may require that patient medicine dose, regimen, or timing be changed.
- If patient have ever had kidney stones. Doctor may need to give you extra fluids and watch certain lab work more closely.
- If patient have ever taken any type of radiation or chemotherapy, especially cisplatin or other platinum-containing medicines. Doctor will want to monitor patient more closely for certain side effects.
- If patient is pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or if there is any chance of pregnancy. This drug may cause birth defects if either the male or female is taking it at the time of conception or during pregnancy. Men and women who are taking this drug need to use some kind of birth control. It is important to check with doctor about what kinds of birth control can be used with this medicine.
- If patient might want to have children in the future. Some drugs can cause sterility. Talk with doctor about the possible risk with this drug and the options that may preserve ability to have children.
- If patient is breast-feeding. The drug passes into breast milk and may harm the baby.
- About any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines patient is taking, including vitamins and herbs.
Interactions with other drugs
Cisplatin may cause harmful effects if given with other drugs that can harm the kidneys, or even drugs that are excreted through the kidneys. Seizure medicines may cause a problem, as can pain medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and similar medicines. Probenecid can increase the blood level of this drug and cause serious harm. Check with doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about other medicines, vitamins, herbs, and supplements, and whether alcohol can cause problems with this medicine.
Interactions with foods
No serious interactions with food are known at this time. Check with doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about whether foods may be a problem.
Tell all doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists that patient is taking this drug.
How is this drug taken or given?
Cisplatin is given by an infusion into the vein over at least 1 hour, although it is sometimes given over a much longer period. Sometimes patient will be given other medicines that will help flush the medicine out quickly through the kidneys. Patient will also get a very diluted salt solution by vein to help protect the kidneys, and medicine to prevent or stop nausea or vomiting. Before and after the medicine patient will need to drink 2 to 3 quarts of fluid a day (an 8 oz. glass of water or fluid every hour while awake) to protect your kidneys. Doctor will check patient's kidney function before giving the medicine. Dose will depend on the type of cancer being treated, patient's size, and how well patients' kidneys are working.
Precautions
1. Cisplatin can damage the kidneys. This risk is reduced by checking patient's kidney function before receive the drug, giving patient extra intravenous fluids, and asking patient to drink extra fluids for several days after the drug is given. This extra fluid helps to flush the medicine out of patient's system and protect kidneys.
2. This drug can damage your hearing and inner ear, and occasionally cause deafness. Let doctor know if patient notice ringing in ears, trouble hearing high-pitched sounds, or if trouble with patient's balance.
3. Patient may have nausea and vomiting on the day patient receive this drug or in the first few days afterward. Doctor may give patient medicine before treatment to help prevent nausea and vomiting. Patient will likely also get a prescription for an anti-nausea medicine that patient can take at home. It is important to have these medicines on hand and to take them as prescribed by doctor.
4. Doctor will likely test patient's blood throughout treatment, looking for possible effects of the drug on blood counts (described below) or on other body organs. Based on the test results, patient may be given medicines to help treat any effects. Doctor may also need to reduce or delay next dose of this drug, or even stop it altogether.
5. Cisplatin can lower patient's white blood cell count, especially in the weeks after the drug is given. This can increase chance of getting an infection. Be sure to let doctor or nurse know right away if patient has any signs of infection, such as fever (38° or higher), chills, pain when passing urine, a new cough, or bringing up sputum.
6. This drug may lower patient's platelet count in the weeks after it is given, which can increase patient's risk of bleeding. Speak with doctor before taking any drugs or supplements that might affect patient's body's ability to stop bleeding, such as aspirin or aspirin-containing medicines, warfarin (Coumadin), or vitamin E. Tell doctor right away if patient has unusual bruising, or bleeding such as nosebleeds, bleeding gums when brush teeth, or black, tarry stools.
7. This drug may lower red blood cell count. If this occurs, it is usually a few months after starting treatment. A low red blood cell count (known as anemia) can cause shortness of breath, or make patient to feel weak or tired all the time. Doctor may give patient medicines to help prevent or treat this condition, or patient may need to get blood transfusions.
8. Do not get any immunisations (vaccinations), either during or after treatment with this drug, without doctor's consent. This drug may affect patient's immune system, which could make vaccinations ineffective, or could even lead to serious infections. Try to avoid contact with people who have recently received a live virus vaccine, such as the oral polio vaccine or smallpox vaccine. Check with doctor about this.
9. This drug can cause allergic reactions in some people while the drug is being given. Symptoms can include feeling lightheaded or dizzy (due to low blood pressure), fever or chills, hives, nausea, itching, headache, coughing, shortness of breath, or swelling of the face, tongue, or throat. Tell doctor or nurse right away if notice any of these symptoms as patient is being given the drug.
10. This drug may cause damage to certain nerves in the body, which can lead to a condition called peripheral neuropathy. This can cause numbness, weakness, pain, or sensations of burning or tingling, usually in the hands or feet. Constipation can also occur. These symptoms can sometimes progress to include trouble walking or holding something in your hands. Patient will be watched closely for these symptoms. Let doctor know right away if notice any of them. If patient's symptoms are severe enough, this drug may need to be stopped or the dose reduced until they get better.
11. Because of the way this drug acts on cells in the body, it may increase your long-term risk of getting a second type of cancer, such as leukemia. This is rare, but if it does occur it would likely be years after the drug is used. If patient are getting this drug, doctor feels this risk is outweighed by the risk of what might happen if patient does not get this drug. Patient may want to discuss these risks with doctor.
Possible side effects
Common
- kidney damage*
- decreased blood levels of magnesium, potassium, and calcium
- nausea*
- vomiting*
- taste changes, including metallic taste of foods
- sensation of pins and needles or numbness in hands and/or feet caused by irritation of nerves*
- swelling in hands, feet, or legs
- fetal changes if becoming pregnant during treatment
Less common
- tiredness (fatigue)
- hearing loss*
- poor balance or trouble walking*
- decreased white blood cell count with increased risk of infection, if given in high doses or with radiation therapy*
- decreased platelet count with increased risk of bleeding if given in high doses or with radiation therapy*
- loss of appetite
- hair thinning
- diarrhea
- sterility (inability to have children)
Rare
- severe allergic reaction*
- seizures due to changes in blood chemistry
- chest pain and heart attack
- second cancer, which may happen years later*
