Medical Use And Study Of Bendamustine

Bendamustine is an anti-cancer chemotherapy medicine that is classified as an alkylating agent. It is approved by the FDA for the treatment of individuals with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and indolent (slow-growing) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that has progressed during or within 6-months of treatment with rituximab (Rituxan) or a rituximab-containing regimen. 

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a kind of indolent B-cell NHL. The medicine bendamustine hydrochloride combined with the monoclonal antibody rituximab is one of four therapy regimens preferred by the WM experts. While the combination regimen bendamustine/rituximab is preferred, using bendamustine alone is prescribed for individuals who cannot take rituximab. 

These are a couple of protocols: bendamustine along with rituximab, and bendamustine alone for patients who are rituximab-intolerant; are preferred regimens for both initial (also named first-line or primary) treatment of WM, as well as for earlier treated WM.

Benefits and Risks of Treatment with Bendamustine

The bendamustine hydrochloride regimens are particularly effective for individuals who have enlarged lymph nodes, livers, spleens, or when a rapid response to treatment is required. Another benefit is that it’s used for a fixed time-span; not as an ongoing, lifetime therapy. In addition, bendamustine therapy is not contraindicated in potential candidates for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), as it’s unlikely to affect stem cell collection. 

A probable disadvantage of this medicine is that about 1% of individuals who were treated with bendamustine developed secondary cancer like leukemia. It is unknown if bendamustine caused this effect; individuals with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia may also develop secondary cancers that are not associated with medical treatments.

Your health specialist will consider several factors when recommending a therapy, including your signs/symptoms, preferences, genomic profile, insurance coverage, other chronic health issues, and the safety profile of the regimen. Discuss all these things with your healthcare professional during the treatment decision-making process. 

Administration of Bendamustine

This medicinal product is supplied for injection in the form of a single-use vial containing bendamustine HCl 100 mg as a lyophilized powder. The proposed dosage of Bendamustine 100 mg injection is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion into a vein with the help of a small needle in your arm. The pill form of bendamustine is not available. Your health specialist will determine the apt dose as well as a schedule of bendamustine on behalf of several factors including your blood counts, height, weight, and any other specific medical complications you may have. 

Bendamustine injection may be administered at a health specialist’s office, the hospital, or an infusion center. Tell your healthcare team in case you have any pain, redness, burning, swelling, or fluid leaking around the IV insertion site, as this medicine may be responsible for causing tissue damage in case it leaks out of the vein into the surrounding skin.

Possible Adverse Reactions of Bendamustine

Chemotherapy is most effective at destroying cells that divide quickly, which is why they work against WM cells. Although, there are healthy cells in the body that divide rapidly as well. They are found in the bone marrow (where new blood cells are developed); line the mouth, stomach, and bowel; and grow hair. Destruction of these healthy cells is what causes some of the common adverse reactions of chemotherapy; resulting in reduced blood counts, nausea, mouth sores, diarrhea, and hair thinning, respectively. Luckily, the healthy cells will grow back and most associated adverse reactions will go away once the therapy ends. 

The most common adverse reactions of Bendamustine 100 mg injection include the following: fever, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, cough, weight loss, headache, difficulty breathing, rash, mouth irritation, low RBCs (oxygen-carrying cells), low platelets (blood-clotting cells), and low level of 3 different types of WBCs (infection-fighting cells).

Most individuals will not have all of these adverse reactions. In case you experience any adverse reaction, report your health specialist. There are medicines as well as strategies that can help reduce their severity.

Cost of Bendamustine

Bendamustine hydrochloride for injection is an FDA-approved anti-cancer medicine. Bendamustine HCL for injection is available upon request. The bendamustine cost in India is comparatively less than in other regions. The cost of Bendamustine is known to fluctuate due to the availability of both generic (less costly) and Innovator (costly than generic) brands. In order to get the best retail price of bendamustine HCL for injection in India, or for ordering any emergency product dial our TOLL-FREE No: 1800-889-1064. For inquiries Email: info@theindianpharma.com. From a narrow to a broad range of advanced treatments in India, we can help patients on their treatment journey.