About bleomycin sulfate
Anticancer antibiotic
Used for
- Treats Hodgkin lymphoma, germ-cell cancers, and some other cancers.
- Used for malignant pleural effusion to reduce fluid buildup.
Usual adult dose
Cancer treatment: commonly 10–20 units/m² by injection weekly or in combination regimens. Pleural effusion dosing differs.
Usual dose in children
Specialist-directed; doses vary by cancer and treatment regimen.
Common side effects
- Lung inflammation and scarring, sometimes severe
- Fever and chills
- Skin changes, mouth sores, or hair loss
- Nausea and vomiting
Important warnings
- Can cause serious lung injury; risk increases with age and cumulative dose.
- Lung function monitoring is important during treatment.
- Use caution with kidney impairment and before surgery involving oxygen.
- Administered by trained healthcare professionals as part of cancer care.
Pregnancy
May harm an unborn baby. Avoid during pregnancy unless a specialist determines treatment is essential.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment because of potential serious harm to the infant.
Interactions
- Other medicines that can injure the lungs may increase lung-damage risk.
- Radiotherapy may increase lung or skin toxicity.
- Oxygen exposure during anesthesia may increase lung-injury risk.
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 It may be incomplete or out of date.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.