About dacarbazine
Alkylating chemotherapy medicine
Used for
- Hodgkin lymphoma, usually with other medicines
- Advanced melanoma
- Some soft-tissue sarcomas
Usual adult dose
Specialist-guided intravenous dosing varies by cancer and treatment cycle; commonly 150 mg/m² daily for five days every four weeks, or 375 mg/m² every 15 days in combination regimens.
Common side effects
- Nausea and vomiting
- Reduced blood-cell counts, increasing infection or bleeding risk
- Loss of appetite
- Injection-site pain or vein irritation
Important warnings
- Given under specialist supervision; blood counts and liver function require monitoring.
- Can cause severe nausea and bone-marrow suppression.
- May harm an unborn baby; effective contraception is advised during treatment.
- Report fever, unusual bleeding, jaundice, or severe abdominal pain promptly.
Pregnancy
May cause fetal harm. Avoid during pregnancy unless the specialist determines treatment is essential.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment; discuss when it may safely resume with the specialist.
Interactions
- Other medicines that suppress bone marrow may increase blood-cell complications.
- Live vaccines may cause infection and are generally avoided during chemotherapy.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.