Dacarbazine

Dacarbazine is a prescription medication used for the treatment of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Metastatic Malignant Melanoma. 

• Dacarbazine is available under the following different brand names: DTIC Dome

Adult and pediatric dosage

Powder for injection

• 100mg
• 200mg

Hodgkin Lymphoma

Adult dosage

• 150 mg/m² Intravenous once a day for 5 days, repeat every 4 weeks OR  
• 375 mg/m² Intravenous on Day 1; repeat every 15 Days

Pediatric dosage

• Dosage dependent on protocol 150 mg/m² Intravenous once a day for 5 days, repeat every 4 weeks OR  
• 375 mg/m² Intravenous on Day 1; repeat every 15 Day

Geriatric dosage

• 150 mg/m² Intravenous once a day for 5 days, repeat every 4 weeks OR  
• 375 mg/m² Intravenous on Day 1; repeat every 15 Days

Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

Adult and Geriatric dosage

• 2-4.5 mg/kg Intravenous once a day for 10 days, repeat every 4 weeks OR  
• 250 mg/m² Intravenous once a day for 5 days, repeat every 3 weeks

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

Common side effects of Dacarbazine include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• diarrhea
• skin rash, or
• flushing (numbness, warmth, redness, or tingly feeling in the face).

Serious side effects of Dacarbazine include:

• hives,
• difficulty breathing,
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat,
• fever,
• chills,
• tiredness,
• mouth sores,
• skin sore,
• easy bruising,
• unusual bleeding,
• pale skin,
• cold hands and feet,
• light-headedness,
• shortness of breath,
• loss of appetite,
• stomach pain (upper right side),
• tiredness,
• itching,
• dark urine,
• clay-colored stools, and
• yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)

Rare side effects of Dacarbazine include:

• none 

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur as a result of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Dacarbazine has severe interactions with no other drugs
• Dacarbazine has serious interactions with the following drugs:
  • abametapir
  • adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, oral
  • axicabtagene ciloleucel
  • brexucabtagene autoleucel
  • ciltacabtagene autoleucel
  • givosiran
  • idecabtagene vicleucel
  • influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent, adjuvanted
  • influenza virus vaccine trivalent, adjuvanted
  • lisocabtagene maraleucel
  • palifermin
  • ropeginterferon alfa 2b
  • tisagenlecleucel
  • tofacitinib
• Dacarbazine has moderate interactions with at least 34 other drugs.
• Dacarbazine has minor interactions with the following drugs:
  • vitamin A
  • vitamin E

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all your products. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity
• Breastfeeding
• Severe anemia, severe thrombocytopenia

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Dacarbazine?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Dacarbazine?”

Cautions

• Caution in hepatic/renal impairment; monitor for toxicity
• May cause severe pain & burning at injection site & along vein; to alleviate, may increase diluent, reduce infusion rate & apply cold compresses
• Risk of potentially fatal hepatocellular necrosis
• Avoid pregnancy

Pregnancy & Lactation

• Use with caution if the benefits outweigh the risks during pregnancy.
• Lactation
  • Not known if excreted in breast milk, do not nurse