What you need to know about Mitomycin treatment for urinary tract cancer (Mitomycin)

Has your doctor told you or someone in your family has a urinary tract cancer? Then you may have heard about the drug Mitomycin, which is used to treat it. Since it is a somewhat specialized treatment, it is normal to be a little nervous and curious about it. So today, let's talk about what Mitomycin is, how it is given to you, and what you need to be especially careful about when receiving this treatment.

What kind of medicine is Mitomycin?

Simply put, Mitomycin is a chemotherapy drug that kills cancer cells. Its brand name may be JELMYTO. It is used to specifically target and kill cancer cells that form in the lining of our urinary system, which is the passage from the kidneys to the bladder. This is not a typical pill that you swallow or inject into a vein. It is given in a slightly different way. We will talk about that in a moment.

Things you need to tell your doctor before starting treatment

Before starting Mitomycin treatment, it is very important that your doctor has a complete picture of your health. Therefore, if any of the following apply to you, be sure to tell your doctor .

• If you have a hole or tear in your bladder or urethra .
• If you have been reported to have low levels of white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets in your blood .
• If the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder, is swollen or narrowed .
• If you have an allergic reaction to Mitomycin or any other medicine, food, or dye .
• If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant soon .
• If you are breastfeeding a child .

Telling your doctor the truth about these things is very important for your safety as well as the success of your treatment.

How will this medicine be given to you?

Okay, now let's look at the specific way this is given. This is not a medicine you can take at home. This treatment is given in a hospital or clinic, by a doctor or nursing staff who is specially trained for this purpose.

What they do is insert a catheter , a very thin, flexible tube, into your urethra and into your kidney. Then, through that tube, they give the Mitomycin directly to the cancer. This is called an infusion into the pyelocalyceal system . Because the medicine is given this way, it is less likely to travel to other parts of the body and is more likely to go directly to the cancer cells and work.

What if treatment is missed?

It is very important to receive this treatment on time and on the scheduled date. If for some reason you are unable to go to the hospital on the scheduled date, call your doctor immediately and let them know.

What if I take too much medicine?

This is unlikely to happen as it is given in a hospital setting. However, if you think you may have overdosed, report it to the hospital's Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately. Or call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital .

What you need to know during and after treatment!

This part is very important. After treatment, traces of this medicine may be present in your urine. Therefore, it is important to follow these instructions for your safety and that of your family.

There are several things you can do for this:

• Both men and women should sit on the toilet seat when urinating. This can help prevent urine from spilling.
• When you're done urinating, flush the toilet thoroughly two or three times .
• After each urination, wash your hands, inner thighs, and genital area thoroughly with soap .
• If you accidentally pee on your clothes, take them off immediately, wash them separately from other clothes, and dry them .

Special advice about pregnancy and breastfeeding

This medicine can affect a baby in the womb, so you need to be very careful about this.

• Women: Avoid becoming pregnant while taking this treatment and for 6 months after stopping treatment.
• Men: Avoid fathering a child while taking this treatment and for 3 months after stopping treatment.
• Breastfeeding: Avoid breastfeeding your baby while taking this treatment and for one week after stopping treatment.

If you have any further questions about this, feel free to talk to your doctor.

What side effects might I experience?

Like any medicine, Mitomycin can have side effects. But not everyone gets them. The important thing is to know what the dangerous symptoms are and what the normal symptoms are.

If you experience any other unusual symptoms not mentioned in this list, please inform your doctor about them as well.

Mitomycin, JELMYTO, chemotherapy, urothelial cancer, kidney cancer, urothelial cancer, cancer treatment