Chemotherapy Drug Information
<< BackCisplatin
Your doctor has ordered the drug cisplatin to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein. Cisplatin is in a class of drugs known as platinum-containing compounds; 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 cisplatin,
- Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney disease.
- You should know that cisplatin may interfere with the normal menstrual cycle (period) in women and may stop sperm production in men. However, you should not assume that you cannot get pregnant or that you cannot get someone else pregnant. Women who are pregnant should tell their doctors 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. Cisplatin may harm the fetus.
- You should not breast-feed while taking cisplatin. Cisplatin passes into breast milk.
- While being treated with cisplatin, drink plenty of fluids because this drug can irritate your kidneys. This precaution is especially important if you have had chemotherapy before.
- Do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.
Side effects from cisplatin are common and include:
- thinned or brittle hair
- loss of appetite or weight
- diarrhea
- nausea and vomiting
- changes in taste
- numbness or tingling in the fingertips and toes
- vomiting
- fatigue
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
- unusual bruising or bleeding
- fever
- chills
- dizziness or feeling of faintness
- shortness of breath or wheezing
- swelling of the feet or ankles
- rash