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Introduction of
Methotrexate
Methotrexate belongs to the group of medicines known as
antimetabolites. It is used to treat cancer of the breast,
head and neck, lung, blood, bone, and lymph, and tumors in the
uterus. It may also be used to treat other kinds of cancer, as
determined by your doctor.
Methotrexate blocks an enzyme needed by the cell to live. This
interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are
eventually destroyed. Since the growth of normal body cells
may also be affected by methotrexate, other effects will also
occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to
your doctor. Other effects, like hair loss, may not be serious
but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur for months
or years after the medicine is used.
Before Using Methotrexate
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the
medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is
a decision you and your doctor will make. For methotrexate,
the following should be considered:
Allergies—Tell
your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic
reaction to methotrexate.
Pregnancy—Tell
your doctor if you are pregnant or if you intend to have
children. There is a good chance that this medicine may cause
birth defects if either the male or female is taking it at the
time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy.
Methotrexate may cause harm or even death of the fetus. In
addition, many cancer medicines may cause sterility, which
could be permanent. Although sterility is probably rare with
this medicine, the possibility should be kept in mind.
Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before
taking this medicine. It is best to use some kind of birth
control while you are taking methotrexate. Tell your doctor
right away if you think you have become pregnant while taking
methotrexate.
Breast-feeding—Tell
your doctor if you are breast-feeding or if you intend to
breast-feed during treatment with this medicine. Because
methotrexate may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is
generally not recommended while you are taking it.
Children—Newborns
and other infants may be more sensitive to the effects of
methotrexate. However, in other children it is not expected to
cause different side effects or problems than it does in
adults.
Older adults—Side
effects may be more likely to occur in the elderly, who are
usually more sensitive to the effects of methotrexate.
Other medicines—Although
certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other
cases two different medicines may be used together even if an
interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want
to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary.
When you are taking methotrexate, it is especially important
that your health care professional know if you are taking any
other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC])
medicine. They should also be told if you have ever been
treated with x-rays or cancer medicines or if you drink
alcohol.
Other medical problems—The
presence of other medical problems may affect the use of
methotrexate. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any
other medical problems, especially:
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Alcohol abuse—Increased risk
of unwanted effects on the liver
-
Chickenpox
-
Herpes zoster—Risk of severe
disease affecting other parts of the body
-
Colitis
-
Disease of the immune system
-
Gout
-
Kidney stones—Methotrexate
may increase levels of a chemical called uric acid in the
body, which can cause gout or kidney stones
-
Infection—Methotrexate can reduce immunity to
infection
-
Intestine blockage or
-
Kidney disease or
-
Liver disease—Effects may be increased
because of slower removal of methotrexate from the body
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Mouth sores or inflammation or
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Stomach ulcer—May be worsened
Side Effects of Methotrexate
Along with their needed effects, medicines like methotrexate
can sometimes cause unwanted effects such as blood problems,
kidney problems, stomach or liver problems, loss of hair, and
other side effects. These and others are described below.
Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body,
there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects
that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is
used. These delayed effects may include certain types of
cancer, such as leukemia. Discuss these possible effects with
your doctor.
Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do
occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following
side effects occur:
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Black, tarry stools; blood in urine or
stools; bloody vomit; diarrhea; joint pain; reddening of
skin; stomach pain; swelling of feet or lower legs
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Blurred vision; confusion; convulsions
(seizures); cough; pinpoint red spots on skin; shortness
of breath; unusual bleeding or bruising
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the
following side effects occur:
-
Sores in mouth and on lips
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Back pain; cough or hoarseness accompanied
by fever or chills; dark urine; dizziness; drowsiness;
fever or chills; headache; lower back or side pain
accompanied by fever or chills; painful or difficult
urination accompanied by fever or chills; unusual tiredness
or weakness; yellow eyes or skin
Storage of Methotrexate
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Keep out of the reach of children.
-
Store away from heat and direct light.
-
Do not store in the bathroom, near the
kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may
cause the medicine to break down.
-
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no
longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of
the reach of children
Disclaimer:
Information on this page is provided for general
information purposes. You should not make a clinical treatment
decision based on information contained in this page without
consulting other references including the package insert of
the drug, textbooks and where relevant, expert opinion. We
cannot be held responsible for any errors you make in
administering drugs mentioned on this page, nor for use of any
erroneous information contained on this page.
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