Dactinomycin (Actinomycin-D)

Fact Sheet – Everything You Should Know

In this Dactinomycin (Actinomycin-D) fact sheet, you’ll get to know about the precautions, usage, possible side effects, and the types of cancer that you can treat with this chemo drug.

Dactinomycin (Actinomycin-D) Fact Sheet

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Here’s the Dactinomycin fact sheet to get detailed information about Dactinomycin

It Is Used To Treat These Cancers
(Cancer types that you can treat with this chemo drug)

  • Wilms’ tumor
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma
  • Ovarian
  • Ewing’s sarcoma
  • Testis
  • Sarcoma

How To Take it
(What are the forms of application)

  • Intravenous
  • Vesicant drug

Precautions
(Things that you should avoid)

  • Avoid sun exposure and pregnancy
  • Don’t receive any vaccination
  • Inform your doctor if you have been exposed to chickenpox or herpes zoster recently: if given during these infections, there is a high risk of disease generalization, which could lead to a high risk of death

Mechanism of Action of Dactinomycin
(How does the drug affect cancer cells)

Dactinomycin is an antibiotic with antineoplastic activity. It binds itself to the DNA transcription initiation complex, inhibiting, therefore, DNA transcription and RNA polymerase function. Through this mechanism, it is able to inhibit cell division.

Drug Interactions
(Medicine that can affect the chemo drug negatively)

  • Lorazepam
  • Bactrim
  • Diclofenac
  • Citalopram
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Lasix
  • Lansoprazole
  • Septra
  • Doxorubicin

Reproductive Concerns
(Things that are related to your sexual health)

  • Pregnancy prevention during and until 6 months after the treatment (men and women)
  • Stop breastfeeding
  • Consider sperm freezing if willing to bear children

Possible Side Effects
(Unpleasant effects of the treatment)

  • Hair loss
  • Mouth ulcers
  • Liver toxicity
  • Kidney toxicity
  • Diarrhea
  • Non-specific malaise
  • Loss of appetite
  • Low white blood cells: raise the risk of bacterial infection
  • Low red blood cells: can lead to fatigue, general lack of interest and drive to be active
  • Low platelets: can lead to bleeding (nose, gums) and in extreme cases to internal bleeding (intestinal, brain, joints)
  • Infertility
  • Nausea & vomiting
  • Fatigue

When To Call the doctor
(Emergency that needs professional support)

  • Vomiting (>4 times in 24h): can lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte disbalance
  • Diarrhea (>4 episodes in 24h): can also lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte disbalance
  • Black stool: can be a sign of intestinal bleeding
  • Blood in the urine
  • Extreme fatigue: can be a sign of severe anemia (low blood cells)
  • Fever > 37,8°C