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Introduction About ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML
ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML contains Dacarbazine which belongs to the group of medicines called Anticancer Agents. It is used to manage certain types of skin cancer (such as metastatic melanoma) and lymph cancer (such as Hodgkin’s disease). It can also be used in the management of soft tissue sarcoma (cancer of connective tissues).
Before receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML inform your doctor if you have any liver or kidney problems. You must also inform your doctor if you have low WBC and platelet counts in blood or currently receiving radiotherapy as a precaution. Avoid consumption of alcohol while undergoing therapy with this medicine.
ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Both men and women of childbearing potential must use a suitable contraceptive to avoid pregnancy while undergoing therapy with this medicine and until 6 months after the last dose.
The common side effects associated with the use of ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML are nausea, vomiting, flu-like symptoms, nerve damage and low RBC, WBC and platelet counts causing tiredness, pale skin, increased infections, fever, sore throat, chills and increased bleeding or bruising. Consult your doctor if any of these side effects troubles you.
Uses Of ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML
It is used in the management of:
- Skin cancer (metastatic melanoma)
- Lymph cancer (Hodgkin’s disease)
- Soft tissue sarcoma (cancer of connective tissues passing between muscles, fat, blood vessels and supporting tissues)
How ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML Works
ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is an anticancer medication. It works by damaging the cellular genetic material (DNA). This interferes with the functions of DNA and stops cancer cells from multiplying. Therefore, it stops the multiplication of abnormal cell division within the body and decreases cancer progression.
How to use ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML
ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML will be given to you only by a doctor specialized in oncology or haematology into the vein (intravenously).
Your doctor will decide the correct dose and duration of therapy for you depending upon your age, body weight and disease condition.
Side Effects Of ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML
Common
- signs of anaemia (reduced red blood cell count) such as paleness, fatigue, shortness of breath, or mouth ulcers
- signs of leukopenia (low white blood cell count) such as fever, chills, sore throat and mouth ulcers
- signs of thrombocytopenia (deficiency platelets in the blood) such as unusual bruising and bleeding
- anorexia (an eating disorder cause fear of weight gain)
- nausea
- vomiting
Uncommon
- increased rate of infections
- alopecia (abnormal hair loss)
- hyperpigmentation (skin darkening)
- sensitivity to light
Rare
- irritation at the site of injection
Consult your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following side effects after receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML:
- signs of increased infections such as fever and sore throat
- increased bleeding tendency, bruising, extreme tiredness
- persistent or severe diarrhea or vomiting
- signs of allergic reactions (such as skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat which can lead to difficulty in breathing or swallowing, fainting)
- yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes
- signs of brain problems (such as headache, vision impairment, tiredness, fits, confusion, tingling or numbness of the face)
- signs of a liver dysfunction such as abnormal urine/stool, nausea, vomiting or yellowing of skin/eyes
How To Manage Side Effects
Nausea And Vomiting
Expose yourself to fresh air. Drink plenty of water or fruit juices and take lot of rest. Avoid listening to music or watching a screen. Keep regular fluid intake. Prefer taking ginger or peppermint tea. Eat small and frequent meals.
Warning & Precautions
Pregnancy
ContraindicatedZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in pregnant women as it may harm the growing baby. Therefore, inform your doctor before receiving it. Women of childbearing potential must use a suitable contraceptive to avoid pregnancy while undergoing therapy with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML and until 6 months after stopping the therapy. If you accidentally became pregnant while receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML, inform your doctor immediately.
Breastfeeding
ContraindicatedZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. Therefore, inform your doctor before receiving it.
Driving and Using Machines
Use with CautionDo not drive or operate any heavy tools or machines if you experience dizziness, nausea or vomiting after receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML.
Alcohol
Consult your doctorAvoid consumption of alcohol while undergoing therapy with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML.
Kidney
Consult your doctorZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in patients with severe kidney diseases. It should be used with caution in patients with mild or moderate kidney problems. Therefore, inform your doctor before receiving it.
Liver
Consult your doctorZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in patients with severe liver diseases. It should be used with caution in patients with mild or moderate liver problems. Therefore, inform your doctor before receiving it.
Allergy
ContraindicatedTalk to your doctor before receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML if you are allergic to dacarbazine.
Use In Pediatrics
ContraindicatedZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in children and adolescents (aged below 18 years) due to lack of safety data. Therefore, consult your doctor for advice.
Use In Geriatrics
Use with CautionZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML should be used with caution in elderly patients (aged 65 years or above). Therefore, consult your doctor before receiving it.
Others
ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use if you:
- have leukopenia (low count of white blood cells)
- have thrombocytopenia (low blood platelet count)
- are scheduled for a live vaccine immunization
Before receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML, inform your doctor if you:
- are currently undergoing radiation therapy
Interactions
A. Drug-Drug Interactions:
Before receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML, inform your doctor, if you are taking any of the following medicine:
- cytostatic agents (medicine used to stop the cell growth in cancer patients) Ex. paclitaxel, cisplatin
- diazepam (a medicine used to manage anxiety and to induce sleep)
- imipramine (a medicine used to manage depression)
- ketoconazole (a medicine used to manage fungal infections)
- medicines used to manage fits (such as phenytoin and carbamazepine)
- methoxypsoralen (medicine used to manage severe psoriasis)
- oral anticoagulants (medicine used to delay blood clotting) Ex. dabigatran
- cyclosporine or tacrolimus (medicines used to stop organ rejection post-transplant)
- fotemustine (another medicine used to manage metastatic melanoma)
- radiotherapy or live vaccines
Overdosage:
ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML will be given to you only by a doctor or nurse in a hospital, and so it is unlikely to receive an overdose. However, consult your doctor if you experience any unusual side effects.
Synopsis
| Drug | : | Dacarbazine |
| Pharmacological Category | : | Alkylating agents |
| Therapeutic Indication | : | Malignant melanoma, Hodgkin’s disease, Soft tissue sarcomas |
| Dosage Forms | : | Injection |
More Information
- Keep ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML out of reach of children
- Before opening: Store ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML at room temperature
- After opening: Store ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML in a refrigerator between 2-8°C
FAQs About ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML
Q: What is ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML used for?
A: ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is used to manage certain types of skin cancer (such as metastatic melanoma) and lymph cancer (such as Hodgkin’s disease). It can also be used in the management of soft tissue sarcoma (cancer of connective tissues).
Q: What side effects are seen with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML?
A: The common side effects associated with the use of ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML are nausea, vomiting, flu-like symptoms, nerve damage and low RBC, WBC and platelet counts causing tiredness, pale skin, increased infections, fever, sore throat, chills and increased bleeding or bruising. Consult your doctor if any of these side effects troubles you.
Q: Who should avoid receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML?
A: ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in pregnant and/or breastfeeding women. It is also not recommended for use in patients suffering from leukopenia (low white blood cell count), thrombocytopenia (low blood platelet count), severe liver disease or severe kidney diseases. Therefore, consult your doctor before receiving it.
Q: Is ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML safe for use in children?
A: ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is not recommended for use in children and adolescents (aged below 18 years) due to lack of safety data. Therefore, consult your doctor for advice.
Q: Can I consume alcohol while undergoing therapy with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML?
A: Avoid consumption of alcohol while undergoing therapy with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML as it could lead to unwanted side effects.
Q: Is it safe to drive or use machinery while receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML?
A: Do not drive or operate any heavy tools or machines if you experience dizziness, nausea or vomiting after receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML.
Q: How ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML works?
A: ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is an anticancer medication. It works by damaging the cellular genetic material (DNA). This interferes with the functions of DNA and stops cancer cells from multiplying. Therefore, it stops the multiplication of abnormal cell division within the body and decreases cancer progression.
Q: How ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML is administered?
A: ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML will be given to you only by a doctor specialized in oncology or haematology into the vein (intravenously).
Q: Can ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML increase the risk of infections?
A: ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML may cause a drop in the number of white blood cells in the body and may weaken your immune system. As a result, you may be at a greater risk of getting infected while receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML. To avoid this, your doctor will regular monitor your blood counts as a precaution. However, inform your doctor if you experience any signs of infection such as fever.
Q: Can ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML manage cancer?
A: The manage rate of cancer depends upon the severity of the disease. However, ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML acts by stopping the abnormal growth and multiplication of cancer cells in the body, which may help in managing cancer completely.
Q: Can the use of ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML cause hair loss?
A: Hair loss is one of the uncommon side effects of receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML. This side effect is usually temporary and disappears once after therapy with this medicine stops completely. If it bothers you, consult your doctor for advice.
Q: Is ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML a chemo drug?
A: Yes. ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML contains a medicine called Dacarbazine which is a chemotherapeutic agent. It stops abnormal growth and multiplication of cancer cells in the body.
Q: What happens if I stop undergoing therapy with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML?
A: No. Do not stop therapy with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML without consulting your doctor as it may make your symptoms reappear. Therefore, receive ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML as advised by your doctor for the stipulated duration.
Q: Can the use of ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML make me feel tired?
A: Yes. ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML may make you feel tired easily. This is because, it reduces the levels of red blood cells in your blood and may make you anaemic. Consult your doctor if you experience tiredness after receiving ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML. Tiredness can also occur if you have any pre-existing disease conditions such as liver or kidney impairment while receiving this medicine.
Q: How to control nausea caused due to ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML?
A: Generally, anticancer medicines are associated with uncontrollable nausea and vomiting. To avoid this, your doctor would prescribe a suitable medicine to control them along with ZICARB 500MG INJECTION 50ML. If not, consult your doctor for a suitable anti-emetic medicine. Do not self-manage nausea.
References
1. KD. Tripathi. Anticancer Drugs. Essentials of medical pharmacology. Seventh edition. 2013. Page – 861.
2. Jun Ho Yi, Seong Yoon Yi, Hye Ran Lee, Soon Il Lee, Do Hyoung Lim, Jung Han Kim, Keon Woo Park, Jeeyun Lee. Dacarbazine-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment in noncutaneous metastatic melanoma: multicenter, retrospective analysis in Asia. NIH. National Library of Medicine. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Pubmed.gov. June 2011. [Accessed on 6th November 2023] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21471822/
3. Medac GmbH. Dacarbazine Citrate. Electronic Medicines Compendium. [Revised in July 2020]. [Accessed on 6th November 2023] https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/999/smpc#gref
4. Dacarbazine medac 200 mg powder for solution for injection/infusion. Health Products Regulatory Agency. [Revised in July 2020]. [Accessed on 6th November 2023] https://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/1d9264f6-b924-4af9-9b27-af9c9593d4a3.pdf
5. Dacarbazine medac 500mg and 1000g powder for solution for injection/infusion. Health Products Regulatory Agency. [Revised in July 2020]. [Accessed on 6th November 2023] https://www.hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedocuments/17bfc53a-9962-4f05-9653-08a1848e0a13.pdf
6. Medac GmbH. Dacarbazine. [Revised in July 2020] [Accessed on 6th November 2023] https://www.medac.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/medac-eu/SPCs/United_Kingdom/Dacarbazine_medac-spc-gb.pdf
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