bendamustine
Other Name: Treanda®
- For treating some types of blood cancers such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have or had significant medical condition(s), especially if you have or had:
- heart problems,
- high blood pressure,
- kidney or liver problems,
- serious infections,
- or any allergies.
- People with cancer have a higher risk of getting other cancers or developing blood clots. Some cancer medications may increase these risks, especially if used for a long period of time. Discuss any concerns about this medication with your health care team.
- The use of this medication in men or women may cause harm to the unborn baby if pregnancy occurs. Let your health care team know if you or your partner is pregnant, becomes pregnant during treatment, or if you are breastfeeding
- If there is ANY chance that you or your partner may become pregnant, you and your partner together must:
► Use 2 effective forms of birth control starting 2 weeks before using this drug and at the same time while receiving this drug: Keep using birth control until 4 weeks after the last dose. Discuss with your healthcare team.
- Do not breastfeed while using this drug
- This medication may affect fertility (ability to get pregnant)
This drug is given by injection into a vein.
- You may be given drug(s) before bendamustine to prevent a reaction if you experienced a reaction on a previous treatment.
This medication can interact with other medications and can result in the treatment not working as well or cause severe side effects.
Make sure your health care team knows about all your medications (prescription, over-the-counter, herbals and supplements). Check with your health care team before starting or stopping any of them.
For mild aches and pain:
- You may take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) tablets. Ask your health care team about the right dose for you.
- Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), naproxen (Aleve®) or aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA), including low dose aspirin for heart conditions, may increase your chance of bleeding.
- Talk to your health care team before you start or stop these medications.
- If you feel unwell, take your temperature before taking any of these medications. They may hide a fever.
- Talk to your health care team or go to the closest emergency room right away if you have a fever. See the Fever pamphlet for more information.
Drinking alcohol and smoking during your treatment may increase some side effects and make your medication less effective. Speak to your health care team about smoking and drinking alcohol while on treatment.
You may not have all of the side effects below. You may have side effects that are not listed.
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Nausea and vomiting May occur in hours to days after your treatment. It is easier to prevent nausea than to treat it if it happens. To help prevent nausea:
If you have nausea or vomiting:
Also see Nausea & Vomiting pamphlet for more information. | Contact your healthcare team if nausea lasts more than 48 hours or vomiting lasts more than 24 hours | ||||
Fatigue (tiredness)
See our Fatigue pamphlet for more information. | Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe |
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Diarrhea May happen days to weeks after you get your treatment. If you have diarrhea :
See the Diarrhea pamphlet for more information. | Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Flu-like symptoms
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Constipation To help prevent constipation :
To help treat constipation :
See the Constipation Pamphlet for more information. | Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe |
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Low appetite
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Headache; mild joint, muscle pain or cramps
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Mouth sores You may have round, painful, white or gray sores inside your mouth. They can occur on the tongue, lips, gums, or inside your cheeks. In more severe cases they may make it hard swallow, eat or to brush your teeth. They usually last 1 to 2 weeks. To help prevent mouth sores:
If you have mouth sores:
See the Mouth Care pamphlet for more information.
| Contact your health care team as soon as possible | ||||
Cough; feeling short of breath You may have cough and feel short of breath without any signs of infection, such as a sore throat or a stuffed nose. | Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Dizziness
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Trouble falling asleep
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Rash; dry, itchy skin Rash may be severe in some rare cases and cause your skin to blister or peel. If this happens, get emergency medical help right away. To prevent and treat dry skin,
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Pains or cramps in the belly
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Heartburn; stomach upset To help prevent heartburn:
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Mild swelling in arms and legs; puffiness To help prevent swelling :
If you have swelling in your legs, keep your feet up when sitting. | Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Fever, chills, infection You have a fever if your temperature taken in your mouth (oral temperature) is:
While you are getting chemotherapy treatments:
If you have a fever, talk to your health care team or go to the closest emergency room. | Get emergency medical help right away | ||||
Salt imbalances It may cause muscle twitching, severe weakness or cramping, confusion and irregular heartbeat. | Get emergency medical help right away | ||||
Taste changes
| Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe |
Other rare, but serious side effects are possible.
If you experience ANY of the following, speak to your cancer health care provider or get emergency medical help right away:
- Signs of an allergy such as fever, flushing, itchiness, rash, swollen lips, face or tongue, wheezing, chest and throat tightness
- Signs of bruising or bleeding such as black stools, blood in your urine, purple or red dots on your skin or bleeding that will not stop
- Joint pains along with fever or confusion
- Signs of kidney problems such as lower back pain, swelling, pee less than usual and have unusual weight gain
- Signs of liver problems such as yellowish skin or eyes, unusually dark pee or pain on the right side of your belly
- Difficulty breathing, chest pain or coughing up blood
- Severe pain in your belly or arm
- Feeling confused, sudden loss of vision, difficulty speaking or moving
- Irregular heartbeat, fainting spells or swelling in your legs or belly
For more links on how to manage your symptoms go to https://www.cancercareontario.ca/en/symptom-management.
The information set out in the medication information sheets, regimen information sheets, and symptom management information (for patients) contained in the Drug Formulary (the "Formulary") is intended to be used by health professionals and patients for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or side effects of a certain drug, nor should it be used to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for a given condition.
A patient should always consult a healthcare provider if he/she has any questions regarding the information set out in the Formulary. The information in the Formulary is not intended to act as or replace medical advice and should not be relied upon in any such regard. All uses of the Formulary are subject to clinical judgment and actual prescribing patterns may not follow the information provided in the Formulary.