Melphalan, a generic oncology product now available from Taj Accura Pharmaceuticals

Melphalan is a cytotoxic drug which belongs to a class of medicines known as alkylating agents.
It is an important component of chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of various different types of cancer.
http://www.tajaccura.com/product/melphalan-50mg-injection-3/

What is Melphalan used for?
Melphalan is used in the treatment of

• Ovarian Cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Multiple Myeloma (cancer of the bone marrow)
• Neuroblastoma (a childhood cancer that often develops in the adrenal gland) and
• Rhabdomyosarcoma (a rare cancer of muscle tissue). [i]

How does Melphalan work?
As mentioned earlier, Melphalan is an alkylating agent, a common class of chemotherapeutic medicines. DNA is made up of four different nucleotides, one of which is known as guanine. Melphalan attaches an alkyl group to guanine thereby causing DNA strands to stick together.
The consequence of this is that the affected cells are no longer capable of synthesising DNA. Without this ability, the cells are unable to divide and so they quickly die off.  
Cancerous cells are characterised by their increased speed of cell division. One consequence of this is that they are more likely to be attacked by Melphalan than healthy cells. As we will see in the next section however, the selectivity is not perfect.

Are there any side effects associated with the use of Melphalan?
Yes, there is the potential for patients using Melphalan to develop side effects, just like other chemotherapeutic drugs. However, it should be noted that these side effects are usually predictable so steps can be taken to minimise or prevent them. The effects are almost always reversible.
Patients are advised to contact their doctor, pharmacist or nurse if they have any questions regarding treatment with Melphalan. Some of the more common side effects include:

• Low blood counts (the decreased production of red and white blood cells in the bone marrow can put patients at risk of picking up a secondary infection. Furthermore, the lower levels of platelets can increase their risk of bleeding)
• Nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite (these are more severe when using higher doses but there are many medicines now available to control these symptoms)
• Hair Loss (this is really only a problem when using high doses of melphalan)
• Mouth ulcers and
• Loss of fertility.

How is Melphalan given?
Melphalan is available as an injection or as tablets. In the case of the injection, the drug can be given as an infusion into a vein or alternatively, as a perfusion into an artery. This will be done by the patient’s doctor or by another trained health professional, never by the patient themselves.
The patient’s doctor will also decide on what dosage to use and whether to administer the injections or the tablets. Different patients receive different treatments because of the variations in weight, height, age, kidney function and several other parameters.
Do patients undergo monitoring during treatment?
Yes, patients will receive regular check-ups at which time they will undergo tests for their blood count, kidney function, liver function and electrolyte levels. Their healthcare professional will also check to see if they have experienced any side effects.

Conclusion
Melphalan Hydrochloride Injections to be used in the treatment different types of cancer are available from Taj Accura Pharmaceuticals at a dose of 50 mg. Taj Accura also provide Melphalan tablets at a dose of 2 mg. Please visit www.tajaccura.com for further details.
Always remember to consult your Doctor or Healthcare Professional if you have any questions about your own health or medications.

Taj Accura Pharmaceuticals are committed to providing affordable pharmaceutical care solutions to health providers and patients globally. Our enthusiastic and highly skilled bi-lingual sales team in English and French are more than welcome to take your queries. We are contactable by emailing info@tajaccura.com, by phone at + 353 (1) 293 1882 or alternatively by fax at + 353 (1) 293 1883
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[i] Facon T, Mary JY, Hulin C et al. (October 2007). “Melphalan and prednisone plus thalidomide versus melphalan and prednisone alone or reduced-intensity autologous stem cell transplantation in elderly patients with multiple myeloma (IFM 99-06): a randomised trial”. Lancet 370 (9594): 1209–18.