Lomustine
Lomustine is in a class of drugs known as alkylating agents; it slows
or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the
types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer
you have.
Lomustine is used to treat:
- brain tumors
- Hodgkin's disease
- bronchogenic carcinoma
- non-Hodgkin's lymphomas
- malignant melanoma
- breast cancer
- renal cell carcinoma
- carcinoma of the GI tract
Side effects of Lomustine
Nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting. There are now very effective
anti-sickness drugs to prevent or greatly reduce this. If you do feel sick it may begin
from a few hours after the treatment is given and last for up to 2-3 days. If the sickness
is not controlled, or continues, tell your doctor. They can prescribe other anti-sickness
drugs that may be more effective.
Temporary reduction in the production of blood cells by the bone marrow.
This can result in anaemia, risk of bruising or bleeding and infection. The number of
blood cells in your blood may begin to reduce from about seven days after the treatment
has been given and may be at its lowest from 14-28 days after the chemotherapy. It then
gradually returns to normal over 1-2 weeks.
The extent to which your number of blood cells is reduced depends on the dose of
chemotherapy you have and which other chemotherapy drugs, if any, are given in
combination. Your doctor can advise you how likely it is that your number of blood cells
will be lowered by the chemotherapy. Your blood will be checked regularly to see how well
your bone marrow is working.
If your temperature goes above 38°C (100.5°F), or you develop any unexplained
bruising or bleeding, or you suddenly feel unwell, even with a normal temperature, contact
your doctor or the hospital straight away.
Tiredness and a general feeling of weakness. It is important to allow
yourself plenty of time to rest.
Less common side effects of Lomustine
Sore mouth and taste change. Your mouth may become sore, or you may
notice small ulcers during this treatment. Drinking plenty of fluids and cleaning your
teeth regularly and gently with a soft toothbrush can help to reduce the risk of this
happening. Tell your doctor if you do have any of these problems as they can prescribe
special mouthwashes and medicine to prevent or clear any mouth infection.
You may notice that your food tastes different. Normal taste will come back after the
treatment finishes.
Diarrhoea. This can usually be easily controlled with medicine but
tell your doctor if it is severe or continues. It is important to drink plenty of fluids
if you do have diarrhoea.
Loss of appetite. A dietician or specialist nurse at your hospital can
give advice.
Your liver may be temporarily affected. Lomustine may cause changes in
the way that your liver works, which return to normal when the treatment is finished. This
is very unlikely to cause you any harm, but your doctor will monitor this carefully.
Samples of your blood will be taken from time to time to check your liver function.
Hair loss. This is rare. If it happens, it usually begins about 3-4
weeks after starting treatment, although it may occur earlier. Hair may be lost completely
or may just thin. You may also have thinning and loss of eyelashes, eyebrows and other
body hair. This is temporary, and the hair will regrow once the treatment is finished.
Changes to the lungs. Lomustine may cause some changes to the lung
tissue. Tell your doctor if you notice any cough or breathlessness.
Eyesight. Lomustine may affect your eyesight, however this is very
rare. Let your doctor know if you notice any change in your vision. |