What is Carmustine?
Carmusteine is a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, non-hodgkin lymphomas and brain tumors by disrupting cell growth. It is administered intravenously or placed inside the cavity produced by the extraction of the brain tumor. The side effects of carmustine are rough and widespread. Alkylating agents attack all cells, but cancer cells that multiply faster and are less able to correct DNA damage are more susceptible to carmustine than healthy cells. The aim of cancer and patients is that healthy cells eventually prevail in the war of chemotherapy and all cancer cells die. Carmustine is used to treat multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, non-ohgkin lymphomas and brain tumors.
The side effects differ for each form of carmustine. When administered intravenously, fairly intensifying feelings of nausea with reversal, they usually appear several hours after the agent. To prevent or reduce this side effect, antiemetics are usually belowItem before treatment.
intravenous carmustine can also cause dose related to dose and higher doses cause worse scarring. These pulmonary problems may occur months or years after treatment. There may also be signs of liver damage such as increased transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. The kidney damage, characterized by an increase in urea, creatinine and substances containing nitrogen in the blood, is most common in patients who receive high doses and only occasionally in patients receiving low doses.
This medicine can also cause severe blood toxicity by suppressing red and white blood cells and plates in intravenously. Usually, hematological impacts are observed several weeks after the first treatment. Weekly blood tests are usually used to monitor the hematological effects of this chemotherapeutic agent and the dose of the drug is treated when hematoloGicky suppression too big. Patients are recommended to use extreme vigilance to minimize contractual infections in this weakened state.
When located inside the tumor cavity, the drug is more concentrated and located, so the side effects of this form of the drug are slightly smaller than in the more intravenous, systemically forms of carmustine. Side effects include seizures, brain edema and speech and movement problems. This form of treatment also has a risk of impaired wound healing and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. There is also a risk of brain infection. About 1% to 3% of patients who have obtained this form of treatment show the same side effects as when the drug is administered intravenously.