Virtual Medical Centre

Drugs

Cisplatin Injection

Generic Name: Cisplatin
Product Name: Cisplatin Injection

• Indication of Cisplatin Injection
• Action of Cisplatin Injection
• Dose Advice of Cisplatin Injection
• Schedule of Cisplatin Injection
• Common side effects of Cisplatin Injection
• Uncommon side effects of Cisplatin Injection

Indication of Cisplatin Injection:

Cisplatin is used in the treatment of:

• metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell cancer (type of testicular cancer)
  
• advanced ovarian carcinoma that has been unresponsive to other treatments
  
• advanced bladder carcinoma that has been unresponsive to other treatments
  
• squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck that has been unresponsive to other treatments

Cisplatin is used for the treatment of these neoplastic conditions alone or in combination with other agents.

For more health information on Cisplatin Injection visit your local doctor.

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Action of Cisplatin Injection:

Cisplatin is a platinum compound that works as an antineoplastic agent. It works by producing links within and between DNA strands, which modifies the structure of DNA and prevents the production of new DNA. Production of proteins and RNA (vital for cell replication) are also inhibited to a lesser extent. Inhibition of production of these components leads to prevention of cell division and eventual cell death. Cisplatin is a non cell-cycle specific antineoplastic agent.

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Dose Advice of Cisplatin Injection:

Single agent therapy

• 50-100mg/m² as a single intravenous infusion over 6-8 hours every 3-4 weeks; or
  
• slow intravenous infusion of 15-20mg/m² daily for 5 days, every 3-4 weeks
  
• dosages should be reduced in patients with depressed bone marrow function

Combination therapy
Cisplatin can be used in combination with the following agents:

• testicular cancer: vinblastine, bleomycin, actinomycin D
  
• ovarian cancer: cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, hexamethylmelamine, 5-fluorouracil
  
• cancers of head and neck: bleomycin, methotrexate

Subsequent course of Cisplatin
Retreatment with Cisplatin cannot begin until the following criteria have been met:

• serum creatinine below 140micromol/L
  
• plasma urea below 9mmol/L
  
• platelet count is greater than 100,000/mm³
  
• leucocyte count is greater than 4,000/mm³

Administration

• ensure adequate hydration prior to, during and after therapy
  
• required dose should be added to one litre of normal saline and infused over the required time
  
• pregnant staff should not handle Cisplatin

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