Mutamycin is a prescription medicine known as antineoplastics, which is used to treat certain types of cancer. The drug works by interfering with the growth of cancer cells and eventually, destroy them.
However, Mutamycin may also affect the growth of normal body cells, causing side effects, such as hair loss.
Some effects are more serious and may last for months or even years after using this medicine. It is administered by injection and only under a doctor’s supervision.
If you are about to start using Mutamycin, speak with your doctor about what you need to know. The risks and benefits the medicine offer must be weighed. For mitomycin, you and your doctor must consider the following:
If you have any unusual reaction to any medicine, be sure to tell your doctor about it. Additionally, disclose other types of allergies - food, preservatives, animals, or dyes, if there are any. Read the package ingredients carefully and make sure you are not allergic to any of its ingredients.
Pediatric:
There are no appropriate studies performed to establish safety and efficacy of the use of this drug in children. However, the medicine is not expected to cause side effects in children different from adults usually experience.
Geriatric:
There are no specific studies done to know whether this drug will work the same way in older people.
Pregnancy:
This drug is not recommended for use in pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant. Studies show positive evidence of abnormalities in fetuses when used in pregnant women and animals.
Breastfeeding:
Although there are no adequate studies in lactating mothers that determine potential risk in an infant when breastfeeding, the benefits should be weighed against the risks before taking this medication.
Drug Interactions:
Some drugs have adverse effects when used together. Make sure to inform your doctor about other drugs you are taking, so that alterations and precautions will be made if necessary. Before using mitomycin, talk to your doctor about possible interactions if you are taking other medications. It is also important to inform your doctor if you are smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol since these may interact with the drug’s effectiveness. Inform your doctor about any drug you are using.
Prescription or nonprescription, especially the following drugs:
Other medical problems. The use of this medicine may be affected if you have other health problems. Inform your doctor about medical issues, such as chickenpox (including recent exposure), bleeding problems, infections, Herpes zoster, or kidney disease.
3 Proper Usage
To use Mutamycin properly, you must follow all instructions given by your doctor. Typically, doctors prescribe Mutamycin with certain other medicines.
If this is the case, make sure you receive each of the medicines at the right time. If some of these medicines are to be taken orally, ask your healthcare professional to help you remember when to take them.
Mitomycin usually causes side effects like nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting. It is important, however, to continue using it even if you start feeling ill because of this medicine. You may ask your doctor for things that you can do to lessen these unwanted effects.
Do not change the dosage the doctor indicated unless he or she told you otherwise. The number of doses and the number of hours between doses generally depend on the reason why you are using mitomycin.
4 Precautions to Take
Before using Mutamycin, there are some precautions you must take. Regular visits to the doctor are very crucial to make sure Mutamycin is working properly as well as to keep unwanted side effects on the check.
Do not have any vaccines without your doctor’s advice while you are using Mutamycin and even after you stop using it. Using this drug may lower the resistance of your body and the chance of getting the infection from immunization is relatively high.
Moreover, your household members should not get oral polio vaccine because there’s a risk of passing the virus on to you. Do not get close to anyone who have taken the vaccine; if it is not possible, wear a protective face mask.
The number of white blood cells in the blood can become lower than normal while in mitomycin treatment. Using it can also make the number of platelets lower than normal.
If this happens, it is best to avoid people with infections to reduce the chance of contracting one. If you get a cough, fever or chills, lower back or side pain, difficulty in urinating, or other signs of infections, check with your doctor right away.
Moreover, if you notice unusual bruising or bleeding, blood in urine or stools, or if your stools are black and tarry, or you have pinpoint red spots on the skin, consult your doctor as soon as possible.
Ask your doctor if any other ways of cleaning the teeth and gums are possible. Be cautious when using your regular toothbrush, toothpick or dental floss. Avoid touching your eyes or the inside of your nose, especially if you have not washed your hands first.
Additionally, be careful when using sharp objects like razors or fingernail cutters to avoid cutting yourself. Avoid contact sports and other physical activities that may cause injury or bruising.
If the drug accidentally seeps out of the vein where it is injected, skin damage and scarring may occur. At times, patients may experience this even if the medicine was given a few weeks or months back.
Consult your doctor right away if there is any pain, swelling, or redness at the site of injection or anywhere else on your skin.
While most of these side effects usually diminish as the body adjusts to the drug, calling your doctor may be needed. Some patients may experience side effects not listed above. If you want to report side effects, you may do so by calling the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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