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Melphalan

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(mel' fa lan)

Brand name(s): Alkeran
Other name(s): L-PAM

Contents of this page:

IMPORTANT WARNING:

Melphalan can cause a decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. Your doctor will order tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if your blood cells are affected by this drug.Melphalan has been associated with the development of other types of cancers. Talk with your doctor about the potential risk of developing a new cancer.

About your treatment

Your doctor has ordered the drug melphalan to help treat your illness. The drug can be taken as tablets by mouth on an empty stomach or it can be given by injection into a vein.

This medication is used to treat:

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Melphalan is in a class of drugs known as alkylating agents; 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.

Other uses for this medicine

Melphalan also is used in the treatment of breast cancer, polycythemia vera, amyloidosis, scleromyxedema, chronic myelogenous leukemia, osteogenic sarcoma, advanced prostatic carcinoma, and testicular seminoma. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

Precautions

Before taking melphalan,

Side effects

Side effects from melphalan are common and include:

Tell your doctor if either of these symptoms is severe or lasts for several hours:

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

Storage conditions

Keep melphalan in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Special instructions

Last Revised - 01/01/2003


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The MedMaster™ Patient Drug Information database provides information copyrighted by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland Copyright© 2004. All Rights Reserved.