Description
Description
This page contains brief details about the drug melphalan, it’s indication, dosage & administaration, mechanism of action, related brands with strength, warnings and common side effects.
Date of Approval
Melphalan is an anticancer drug that belongs to the class of medications called alkylating agents. FDA approved it initially in 1964 for treating multiple myeloma, advanced breast cancer, ovarian cancer, polycythemia vera, childhood neuroblastoma, malignant melanoma, and soft tissue sarcoma.
Mechanism of Action of Melphalan
Melphalan is an alkylating agent. It exerts its cytotoxic action primarily due to the cross-linking of strands of DNA and RNA, as well as the inhibition of protein synthesis. It works by stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells in your body.
Uses of Melphalan
Melphalan is available as a tablet and injection. It is used to treat multiple myeloma (a type of cancer of the bone marrow). It is also used to treat advanced ovarian cancer. It is also indicated to treat childhood neuroblastoma (cancer of the nervous system), malignant melanoma (skin cancer), and soft tissue sarcoma (cancer of the muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, blood vessels, or other supporting tissues of the body). It is also indicated to treat polycythemia vera ( a disease that increases the number of red cells in your blood. This makes the blood thicken and causes blood clots). It works by reducing the number of abnormal cells your body makes.
Melphalan Dosage available
Melphalan is available as a tablet and injection. Melphalan injection will be administered to you by a doctor or other healthcare professional in a hospital setting trained in cancer chemotherapy. This injection can be given as an infusion into your vein, or it will be given as a perfusion to a particular part of your body through an artery. If you are prescribed the tablet. Take the tablet at the same time, with or without food. Do not break, chew, crush, or break the tablet. Swallow the whole tablet with water. Your doctor will decide the dose, route of administration, and duration of the therapy based on your disease status, severity, and other factors such as body weight, other disease conditions, and age.
