Cosmegen (Dactinomycin for Injection) Patient Information: How Should I Take the Drug at RxList

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May 27, 2012

Cosmegen

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Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in a body. The abnormal cells are termed cancer cells, malignant cells, or tumor cells. Many cancers and the abnormal cells that compose the cancer tissue are further identified by the name of the tissue that the abnormal cells originated from (for example, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer). Cancer is not confined to humans; animals and other living organisms can get cancer. Below is a schematic that shows normal cell division and how when a cell is damaged or altered without repair to its system, the cell usually dies. Also shown is what can occur when such damaged or unrepaired cells do not die and become cancer cells and proliferate with uncontrolled growth; a mass of cancer cells develop. Frequently, cancer cells can break away from this original mass of cells, travel through the blood and lymph systems, and lodge in other organs where they can again repeat the ...

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Cosmegen

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Cosmegen Patient Information including How Should I Take

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using dactinomycin (Cosmegen)?

Do not use dactinomycin without first talking to your doctor if you have:

recently had chickenpox (varicella) or shingles (herpes zoster);
any other type of infection; or
decreased bone marrow function.

The use of dactinomycin may be dangerous if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Dactinomycin is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means that dactinomycin is known to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use dactinomycin without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. Discuss with your doctor the appropriate use of birth control during treatment with dactinomycin if necessary.

It is not know whether dactinomycin passes into breast milk. Breast feeding should be avoided during treatment with dactinomycin.

How should I use dactinomycin (Cosmegen)?

Dactinomycin should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you notice redness, pain, or swelling at the place of injection or anywhere else on your skin.

Your doctor will determine the correct amount and frequency of treatment with dactinomycin depending upon the type of cancer being treated and other factors. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns regarding the treatment schedule.

Your doctor will probably want you to have regularly scheduled blood tests and other medical evaluations during treatment with dactinomycin to monitor progress and side effects.

Dactinomycin is extremely corrosive to the skin if contact occurs. If you are storing or injection dactinomycin at home, avoid contact with the medication. If contact accidentally occurs, rinse the skin with water for at least 15 minutes and seek emergency medical attention.

Your healthcare provider will store dactinomycin as directed by the manufacturer. If you are storing dactinomycin at home, follow the directions provided by your healthcare provider.

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