Dactinomycin (Intravenous Route)

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Proper Use

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you or your child this medicine in a hospital or cancer treatment center. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins.

Dactinomycin is sometimes given together with certain other medicines. If you are receiving a combination of medicines, it is important that you receive each one at the proper time. If you are taking some of these medicines by mouth, ask your doctor to help you plan a way to remember to take them at the right times.

This medicine often causes nausea and vomiting. However, it is very important that you continue to receive the medicine, even if you begin to feel ill. Ask your doctor for ways to lessen these effects.

This medicine is very toxic and can cause severe damage to your skin, eyes, nose, throat, or lungs. The medicine must not come into contact with your skin, eyes, or any other part of your body. If any of the medicine does get in the eyes, wash the eyes with water, normal saline, or a balanced salt irrigating eye solution for at least 15 minutes and check with your doctor right away. If any of the medicine does get in your skin, wash the affected part with water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothes and shoes. Check with your doctor right away. The contaminated clothes should be destroyed and shoes must be cleaned thoroughly before using it again.

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