Bleomycin Brand Name– Blenoxane
What is Bleomycin
Bleomycin is a cell cycle-phase specific drug from the antibiotic class of antineoplastic drugs.
Bleomycin is a mixture of 13 glycopeptides isolated from the culture broth of the fungus Streptomyces verticillus.
The active component of bleomycin is the A2 peptide, which makes up about 70% of the available formulation.
Clinical uses of bleomycin include treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; testicular carcinoma; and squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, penis, cervix, and vulva.
Bleomycin also is used as a sclerosing agent to treat pleural effusions.
Bleomycin has been designated an orphan drug by the FDA for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and pleural effusions.
Indications
- cervical cancer
- head and neck cancer
- hemangioma
- Hodgkin lymphoma
- Kaposi’s sarcoma
- malignant ascites
- non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)
- osteogenic sarcoma
- penile cancer
- pleural effusion
- testicular cancer
- verruca plantaris
- verruca vulgaris
- vulvar cancer
Side Effects
- alopecia
- anorexia
- chest pain (unspecified)
- chills
- confusion
- dyspnea
- erythema
- fever
- hemolytic-uremic syndrome
- hyperesthesia
- hyperkeratosis
- hypotension
- injection site reaction
- malaise
- myocardial infarction
- nail discoloration
- pericarditis
- phlebitis
- pneumonitis
- pruritus
- pulmonary fibrosis
- pulmonary toxicity
- rash
- serious hypersensitivity reactions or anaphylaxis
- skin hyperpigmentation
- stomatitis
- striae
- stroke
- thrombotic microangiopathy
- tissue necrosis
- urticaria
- vomiting
- weight loss
- wheezing
Monitoring Parameters
- CBC
- pulmonary function tests (PFTs)
- serum creatinine/BUN
Contraindications
- accidental exposure
- bleomycin hypersensitivity
- breast-feeding
- extravasation
- fever
- geriatric
- idiosyncratic reaction
- infection
- intramuscular administration
- maximum cumulative lifetime dose
- ocular exposure
- peripheral vascular disease
- pregnancy
- pulmonary disease
- pulmonary fibrosis
- pulmonary toxicity
- radiation therapy
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- requires a specialized care setting
- requires an experienced clinician
- serious hypersensitivity reactions or anaphylaxis
- subcutaneous administration
- surgery
- tobacco smoking
- vaccination
Interactions
- Alpha interferons
- Aminoglycosides
- Antithymocyte Globulin
- Azelastine; Fluticasone
- Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Vaccine, BCG
- Beclomethasone
- Betamethasone
- Brentuximab vedotin
- Budesonide
- Budesonide; Formoterol
- Carbamazepine
- Ciclesonide
- Cisplatin
- Clozapine
- Corticosteroids
- Corticotropin, ACTH
- Cortisone
- Cyclosporine
- Deflazacort
- Dexamethasone
- Diclofenac
- Diclofenac; Misoprostol
- Digoxin
- Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
- Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
- Echinacea
- Esomeprazole; Naproxen
- Etodolac
- Famotidine; Ibuprofen
- Febuxostat
- Fenoprofen
- Fludrocortisone
- Flunisolide
- Flurbiprofen
- Fluticasone
- Fluticasone; Salmeterol
- Fluticasone; Umeclidinium; Vilanterol
- Fluticasone; Vilanterol
- Formoterol; Mometasone
- Foscarnet
- Hydantoins
- Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
- Hydrocortisone
- Ibuprofen
- Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
- Ibuprofen; Pseudoephedrine
- Indomethacin
- Influenza Virus Vaccine
- Interferon Alfa-2a
- Interferon Alfa-2b
- Interferon Alfa-2b; Ribavirin
- Interferon Alfa-n3
- Interferon Alfacon-1
- Intranasal Influenza Vaccine
- Ketoprofen
- Lansoprazole; Naproxen
- Live Vaccines
- Measles Virus; Mumps Virus; Rubella Virus; Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
- Measles/Mumps/Rubella Vaccines, MMR
- Meclofenamate Sodium
- Mefenamic Acid
- Meloxicam
- Methylprednisolone
- Mometasone
- Nabumetone
- Naproxen
- Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
- Naproxen; Sumatriptan
- Oxaprozin
- Palifermin
- Pegfilgrastim
- Peginterferon Alfa-2a
- Peginterferon Alfa-2b
- Penicillamine
- Pentamidine
- Piroxicam
- Prednisolone
- Prednisone
- Rofecoxib
- Rotavirus Vaccine
- Rubella Virus Vaccine Live
- Smallpox and Monkeypox Vaccine, Live, Nonreplicating
- Smallpox Vaccine, Vaccinia Vaccine
- Sulindac
- tobacco
- Tolmetin
- Triamcinolone
- Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative, PPD
- Typhoid Vaccine
- Valdecoxib
- Vancomycin
- Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccine, Live
- Vitamin C
- Yellow Fever Vaccine, Live