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Effect of Actinomycin D

The American Cancer Society reports that over 550,000 Americans die from cancer each year, accounting for 23 percent of all deaths in the United States. To battle cancer of the bones, soft tissue, kidneys, uterus and testicles, doctors commonly use the chemotherapy drug called Actinomycin D, also called dactinomycin and Cosmegen. Despite its effectiveness, Actinomycin D is not for everyone as it presents several risks for side effects and complications in some patients.

  1. Digestive System Side Effects

    • Gastrointestinal side effects are common during Actinomycin D treatment. Often, patients experience nausea and vomiting with the first few hours following a chemotherapy treatment of Actinomycin D. There are drugs available known as anti-emetics available to decrease incidents of vomiting for patients undergoing treatment. Additionally, some patients experience other gastrointestinal side effects from Actinomycin D, including diarrhea, loss of appetite and abdominal pain. In some cases, the drug causes the formation of ulcers in the digestive tract.

    Skin Side Effects

    • Actinomycin D has the potential to cause a number of side effects that involve the skin. The most common of these effects is the appearance of skin rashes or acne. Many patients also experience hair loss of the scalp and eyebrows while undergoing treatment with Actinomycin D; however, once regular injections of the drug end, hair growth typically resumes. Additionally, patients who previously received cancer radiation treatments often experience redness or darkening of the skin on the part of the body that received the radiation.

    Liver Side Effects

    • Actinomycin D is a toxic substance, which your body must process and eliminate following treatment. In some patients, the toxicity of the drug affects the liver, causing a number of side effects. Inflammation of the organ, also known as hepatitis, occurs in some patients as well as enlargement of the liver. Some patients experience liver failure, which can be fatal in some instances. Additionally, Actinomycin D has the potential to cause hepatic veno-occlusive disease, a life-threatening condition in which the blood vessels inside the liver become blocked. As hepatic veno-occlusive disease occurs most frequently in young children who receive Cosmegen, doctors prescribe the drug for children under the age of 4 with extreme caution.

    Soft Tissue Damage

    • In addition to its toxic effects upon the liver, Actinomycin D is very corrosive to soft tissue, meaning that it destroys or damages tendons, ligaments, fat and other structures in the body that support and surround bones, muscles and organs. Because of this, medical professionals who administer the treatment must be very careful not to allow the intravenous fluid to leak during treatment. In some cases, leaks result in serious and permanent damage to the body, including irreversible shortening of muscles in the arms, severe blistering and a dangerous accumulation of fluid under the skin.

    Blood Side Effects

    • As Actinomycin D destroys cancer cells, it also changes the chemistry of your body, which causes side effects to the make-up of your blood. Many patients experience a lack of red blood cells or anemia while receiving chemotherapy, making them feel weak and dizzy or unable to concentrate. Other possible side effects are thrombocytopedia, or a shortage of blood platelets, and leukopenia, or a shortage of white blood cells. These conditions increase your risk of uncontrollable bleeding and infection, respectively.

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