- Metastatic Malignant Melanoma
Dose:2 to 4.5 mg/kg/day IV for 10 days, every 4 weeksOr 850 mg/m² IV every 3 weeks
- Hodgkin Lymphoma (as part of the ABVD regimen: Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine)
- Off-label: Soft tissue sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumors (rare use), other solid tumors (limited)
Dose:375 mg/m² IV on days 1 and 15 of a 28-day cycle
- IM (lyophilized powder): 100 mg, 200 mg vials,Must be reconstituted and diluted before IV use
- IV only — no oral formulation
- Reconstitute with sterile water → further dilute in 5% dextrose or NS
- Protect from light (photodegradation sensitive)
- Infuse over 15–30 minutes
- Use antiemetics (highly emetogenic drug)
- Class: Alkylating agent (non-classic), triazene group
- Mechanism of Action:
- Prodrug → metabolized in liver (by CYP1A1, 1A2) to active MTIC → alkylates DNA → strand breakage → apoptosis
- Cell-cycle nonspecific
- Half-life: ~20 minutes (short)
- Excretion: Renal (mostly as metabolites)
- Severe nausea/vomiting (highly emetogenic)
- Fatigue
- Flu-like symptoms
- Myelosuppression (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia)
- Anorexia
- Diarrhea
- Hypersensitivity to dacarbazine
- Severe bone marrow suppression
- Pregnancy (unless life-threatening indication)
- Active infection
- Myelosuppressive agents: additive risk
- Hepatotoxic drugs: increase risk of liver injury
- Live vaccines: avoid due to immunosuppression
- No significant CYP-mediated drug interactions
Drug Status
Availability | |
Pregnancy | |
Breastfeeding | |
Schedule |
BRAND NAME | STRENGTH | FORMULATION | PACK SIZE | MANUFACTURER | DISTRIBUTOR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dacmed | 200mg | Injection | 1’s | United Biotech | Salama Pharma |
Dacarzine | 200mg | Injection | 1’s | PSM Pharma | PSM Pharma |