Carstim (Carmustine) Injection

Description

Description

This page contains brief details about the drug carmustine, it’s indication, dosage & administaration, mechanism of action, related brands with strength, warnings and common side effects.

Date of Approval

Carmustine is an anti-cancer medication that belongs to the class of alkylating agents approved on 25 February 2003 for treating various types of cancer.

Mechanism of Action of Carmustine

Carmustine belongs to a group of anticancer medicines known as nitrosourea alkylating agents that act by slowing the growth of cancer cells and killing them. Carmustine injection is used to treat certain types of brain tumors. Carmustine causes cross-links in DNA and RNA, leading to the inhibition of DNA synthesis, RNA production, and RNA translation (protein synthesis). This stops cell division and leads to cell death. In addition to other nitrosoureas, it may also inhibit several key enzymatic processes by carbamoylation (modification) of amino acids in proteins.

Uses of Carmustine

Carmustine has the ability to penetrate the CNS, so they are primarily used in the treatment of brain tumors. It is indicated as palliative therapy as a single agent or combined with other anti-cancer medicines as a secondary therapy for treating various cancers. It is used in brain tumors such as glioblastoma (cancer affecting the brain and spine), brainstem glioma, medulloblastoma (the most common type of brain cancer that affects the cerebellum, a part of the brain), astrocytoma (a type of brain tumor originate from star-shaped brain cells in the cerebrum called astrocytes), ependymoma ( Brain tumor begins in the ependymal cells in the brain and spinal cord), and metastatic brain tumors. Carmustine is also used to treat multiple myeloma in combination with prednisone. It is also used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma with other drugs in patients whose disease has not improved with other treatments or has recurred.

Carmustine Dosage available

Carmustine injection comes in a powder form to be added to fluid and as a wafer (implant). The drug will be administered by the healthcare professional. Your physician will decide on the dose and frequency of the injection. Generally, for treating brain tumors, multiple myeloma, hodgkin’s disease, and non-hodgkin’s disease, the dose ranges from 150-200 mg/m² injected intravenously (IV)  as a single dose or divided in two days for every 6 Weeks or 75-100 mg/m²/day intravenously (IV) for 2 days every 6 Weeks. Carmustine must be given slowly, and the infusion can take at least 2 hours to complete. The dose indicated for recurrent glioblastoma is up to 8 wafers placed in the surgical resection cavity of the brain in addition to the surgery. The dose of newly-diagnosed high-grade glioma, in addition to surgery and radiation, is up to 8 wafers placed in the surgical resection cavity of the brain.