The basics
Dacarbazine treats melanoma (a type of skin cancer) that has spread to other body parts. In combination with other medications, it treats Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Hodgkin’s disease; a type of cancer that begins in a type of white blood cells that normally fights infection).
Dacarbazine is in purine analogs class of medications. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.
let us walk you through key things you need to know about dacarbazine.
Make sure you read the IMPORTANT WARNING section at the end of this article.
How should I take dacarbazine (DTIC)?
Dacarbazine is injected into a vein over 1 minute by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility. When dacarbazine is used to treat melanoma, it may be injected once a day for 10 days in a row every 4 weeks or it may be injected once a day for 5 days in a row every 3 weeks.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.
Do not stop taking treatment without talking to your doctor. You can help them by tracking your side effects in Ankr.
What are the side effects of dacarbazine?
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting (Emesis)
- Appetite loss (Anorexia)
- Diarrhea (Loose stools)
- Sores in the mouth and throat
- Hair Loss (Alopecia)
- Feeling of burning or tingling on the face
- Flushing
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms
- Hives
- Skin rash
- Itching
Serious side effects
- Redness, pain, swelling, or burning at the site where the injection was given
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Muscle aches, and general feeling of pain
- Unusual tiredness
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes
- Blood in urine
- Difficult, painful, or frequent urination
- Bone fracture
Dacarbazine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
Use the free Ankr platform or Ankr app to track your symptoms.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before receiving dacarbazine (DTIC)
- tell your doctor about your allergies
- tell your doctor about other intakes
- tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You should not breastfeed while taking dacarbazine.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Use suitable birth control to prevent pregnancy during your treatment.
while you are on dacarbazine (DTIC)
- if you become pregnant while taking dacarbazine, call your doctor immediately. Abemaciclib may harm the fetus.
- plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Dacarbazine may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
In case of an emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.
Brand names
- DTIC-Dome®
Other names
- Dimethyl Triazeno Imidazol Carboxamide
- Imidazole Carboxamide
- DIC
- DTIC
Last Revised – 06/30/2023, FDA updated-12/15/2011, SG
Dacarbazine injection must be given in a hospital or medical facility under the supervision of a doctor who is experienced in giving chemotherapy medications for cancer.
Dacarbazine can cause a severe decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. This may cause certain symptoms and may increase the risk that you will develop a serious infection or bleeding. If you have a low number of blood cells, your doctor may stop or delay your treatment. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: fever, sore throat, ongoing cough and congestion, or other signs of infection; unusual bleeding or bruising.
Dacarbazine may cause serious or life-threatening liver damage. Liver damage may occur more often in people that are receiving other cancer chemotherapy drugs along with dacarbazine treatment. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: nausea, extreme tiredness, unusual bleeding or bruising, lack of energy, loss of appetite, pain in the upper right part of the stomach, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Dacarbazine injection has caused birth defects in animals. This medication has not been studied in pregnant women, but it is possible that it may also cause birth defects in babies whose mothers received dacarbazine injection during pregnancy. You should not use dacarbazine injection while you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant unless your doctor decides that this is the best treatment for your condition.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain tests to check your body’s response to dacarbazine.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of using dacarbazine injection.
Get 24×7 support for dacarbazine
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(1) find the best treatment for your cancer, and
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