Chemotherapy Drug Information
<< BackBleomycin
Your doctor has prescribed the drug bleomycin to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a large muscle, a vein, or just under the skin. The drug also can be placed, through a chest tube, into the space surrounding the lungs. Occasionally, small test doses are given to check your reaction before the remainder of the drug is administered.
Bleomycin is an antibiotic that is used only for its cancer-fighting effects; it slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.
Before taking bleomycin,
- Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or lung disease.
- Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should tell their doctor before they begin taking this drug. You should not plan to have children while receiving chemotherapy or for a while after treatments. (Talk to your doctor for further details.) Use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Bleomycin may harm the fetus.
- Do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.
Side effects from bleomycin are common and include:
- nausea and vomiting
- loss of appetite
- weakness
- darkened and thickened areas of skin reactions such as itching, tenderness, redness, or swelling