Details

Mitomycin is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. Mitomycin is used in combination with other cancer medications to treat cancer of the stomach and pancreas. Mitomycin treats only the symptoms of stomach or pancreatic cancer but does not treat the cancer itself. Mitomycin can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. You may get an infection or bleed more easily. You should not use mitomycin if you are allergic to it, or if you have bleeding or blood clotting disorder such as haemophilia bone marrow suppression or active bleeding or any risk of bleeding. To make sure mitomycin is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease heart disease or asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnoea, or other breathing disorder.

Typical Uses

Mitomycin is used with other drugs to treat various types of cancer (such as stomach/pancreas cancer). It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells. This drug may also be used to treat other types of cancers (such as lung cancer).

Side Effects

Common mitomycin side effects may include bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing) blisters or ulcers in your mouth, red or swollen gums, trouble swallowing pain, burning, swelling, redness, warmth, irritation, or skin changes where the injection was given confusion, feeling tired or irritable, stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea red or pink urine, little or no urinating, swelling, rapid weight gain easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin or pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating.

Drug Interactions

• Mitomycin+adalimumab- Using adalimumab together with mitomycin may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Mitomycin+certolizumab- Using mitomycin together with certolizumab may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Mitomycin+deferiprone- Deferiprone can lower white blood cell count, and combining it with other medications that can also affect bone marrow function such as mitomycin may increase the risk. You may be more likely to develop serious and potentially life-threatening infections as a result.
• Mitomycin+fingolimod- Using fingolimod together with mitomycin may increase the risk of serious infections. Because fingolimod can stay in your blood for a prolonged period after the last dose, interactions with other drugs may occur for some time even after you have stopped taking it.
• Mitomycin+leflunomide- Using leflunomide together with mitomycin may increase the risk of serious infections. Because leflunomide can stay in your blood for a prolonged period after the last dose, interactions with other drugs may occur for some time even after you have stopped taking it.

Mechanism of action

Mitomycin belongs to a family of aziridine-containing natural products. It acts by inhibiting the growth of the cancer cell.