Has your doctor prescribed you or someone in your family a medicine called Belinostat? Since this is a vaccine used to treat cancer, it is normal to feel a little scared and curious about it. Cancer treatment is a big journey. It is very important to be fully informed about the medicine we are taking during that journey. So today, let's talk simply and politely about this Belinostat vaccine, its effectiveness, side effects, and things we need to be careful about.
What kind of medicine is Belinostat?
Simply put, Belinostat is a type of chemotherapy, or chemical treatment that kills cancer cells. It is mainly used to treat a specific type of cancer called peripheral T-cell lymphoma . Although it is a bit complicated by name, it refers to a cancer that develops in cells called T-cells in our body's immune system.
However, sometimes this medicine may be used for other types of cancer as determined by your doctor. So if you are unsure why this medicine has been prescribed for you, ask your doctor to explain it to you.
Things you need to tell your doctor before starting treatment
Before starting this treatment, it is extremely important to give your doctor a complete description of your health condition. Even something that may seem minor to you can have a big impact on the treatment. Be sure to mention these things in particular:
- If you currently have an infection .
- If you have kidney disease or liver disease .
- If you have any abnormalities in your blood counts . That is, if previous reports have shown a low white blood cell count, red blood cell count, or platelet count.
- If you have an allergic reaction to Belinostat or any other medicine, food, or dye.
- If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. This is very important, as this medicine may affect your unborn baby.
How can I give you this medicine?
This is not a medicine that you swallow like a pill. This is an infusion into a vein . That means the medicine is injected into your vein from a bottle, like saline. This process takes about half an hour.
This treatment is given to you in a hospital or clinic by a health professional (doctor or nurse) who has received special training in this area. So you have nothing to worry about.
Important:This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not share it with anyone else for any reason. Also, do not miss your scheduled treatment date. If you are unable to attend, please inform your doctor or clinic in advance.
What if the medication dose increases?
As this medicine is given in hospital, the chances of an overdose are very low. However, if you think you may have had an overdose, contact the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital immediately, or the hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) .
Things to keep in mind while undergoing treatment
When undergoing chemotherapy, it can affect both cancer cells and healthy cells in our body. So pay special attention to these points.
- Protect yourself from infections: This medicine may reduce your body's ability to fight infections . Therefore, if you experience symptoms such as fever, chills, body aches, sore throat, and cough, do not self-medicate and call your doctor immediately. Minimize your visits to crowded places and places where sick people are.
- Watch out for bleeding: This medicine may increase your risk of bleeding and bruising. Tell your doctor if you have bleeding gums, nosebleeds, or unusual bruising.
- Physical discomfort: It is normal to feel achy and tired during treatment. However, if you experience any side effects, tell your doctor. It is very important to complete the prescribed course of treatment, even if it is uncomfortable, until your doctor tells you to stop.
Special awareness is needed about pregnancy and childbirth.
This is a very important part.
- For women: Avoid becoming pregnant while taking this medicine and for 6 months after stopping treatment. If you are planning to become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor right away.
- For men: Avoid fathering a child while taking this medicine and for 3 months after stopping treatment. This medicine may cause serious harm to an unborn baby.
- Nursing mothers: Do not breastfeed your baby while taking this medicine and for 2 weeks after the last dose.
- Fertility: This medication may affect your ability to have children. If you have any concerns about this, talk to your doctor before starting treatment and get the necessary advice.
What are the possible side effects?
Like any medicine, Belinostat can cause side effects. Not everyone gets them, but it's important to be aware of them.
| Side effect | Description |
|---|---|
| Side effects that should be reported to your doctor immediately | |
| Allergic reactions | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the lips, tongue, and face. |
| Difficulty breathing | Shortness of breath, chest pain. |
| Symptoms of infection | Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, body aches. |
| Symptoms of liver damage | Yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark yellow/brown urine, upper right abdominal pain, loss of appetite. |
| Bleeding symptoms | Blood in the stool or black, tarry stools, brown vomit that looks like coffee grounds, red/dark brown urine, and unexplained bruising. |
| Other | Dizziness, extreme tiredness or fatigue. |
| Things to tell your doctor if they persist or are bothersome | |
| Digestive system problems | Bloating (diarrhea), nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite. |
Drug Interactions
It is very important to tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking. Some medicines can interact with Belinostat, changing its effects or increasing side effects.
Do not take Belinostat with these medications:
- atazanavir
This medicine may also cause side effects:
- erlotinib
- gemfibrozil
- sorafenib
This list may not include all medications. So tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, herbal remedies, and supplements you take. Also, tell your doctor if you smoke or drink alcohol.
Take-Home Message
- Belinostat is an intravenous chemotherapy injection used to treat several types of cancer.
- Before starting treatment, tell your doctor about your complete health history, medications you are taking, and allergies.
- During treatment, pay special attention to fever, signs of infection, and unusual bleeding. If you notice any symptoms, inform your doctor immediately.
- Avoid pregnancy and fathering children during and for a period of time after treatment. Also avoid breastfeeding.
- Talk to your doctor about any side effects you experience, no matter how minor. Don't hide anything.
- It is very important to follow the doctor's instructions and face treatment with courage and positivity.
👩🏽⚕️ Additional questions (FAQs)
💬 When is the Vecuronium / Norcuron vaccine given?
This is no ordinary medicine! This is a very powerful type of muscle-paralytic drug that doctors inject into a vein (IV) to temporarily 'numb/paralyze' all the muscles in the patient's body (even the breathing muscles) during serious and major surgery or when the patient is connected to an artificial respiration machine (Ventilator)!
💬 How does this injection (Vecuronium) paralyze the entire body?
In order for our muscles to move, we need to send a chemical message called 'Acetylcholine' from the nerves. As soon as this injection enters the blood, it blocks/closes all the gates (Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors) in those muscles 100% (Non-depolarizing blocker). Since there is no way for the message to go, the patient cannot move/breathe anything during the operation and his body becomes completely numb.
💬 What are the fatal dangers to be aware of when injecting this medicine (Vecuronium)?
The biggest and deadliest danger is that this even paralyzes the 'breathing muscle (Diaphragm),' so after this the patient cannot breathe on their own! They must definitely put a tube through their mouth and be hooked up to a ventilator (or they will die within minutes)! Also, even after the operation, some people may have residual paralysis and have difficulty breathing properly.
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