Methotrexate Uses and Other Important Information

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Are you seeking information on methotrexate uses? If so, read on to learn about these and more.

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Also prescribed as Trexall, this medication is classified as an antimetabolite. Methotrexate uses include treating breast cancer, lung cancer, bone cancer, uterine tumors, head and neck cancer, blood cancers, and lymph cancers. It may also be prescribed for other cancers at the patient’s doctor’s discretion, as well as disorders caused by an overactive immune system, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. This medication works by interfering with the growth of cancer cells, resulting in their eventual desctuction, through blocking a specific enzyme required by the cell to live. This medication also suppresses the immune system. Other possible uses of this medication include:

Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia
Bladder cancer
Cervical cancer
Esophageal cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Stomach cancers
Meninges cancer
Brain lymphomas
Rectal and colon cancer
Ovarian cancer
Penis cancer
Hodgkins lymphoma
Soft tissue cancers including muscular, vessels carrying lymph/blood/fat, and connective tissues

How is this Medication Used?

This medication is very powerful. How well the patient responds to it and their medical condition will determine how often they take it and at what dose. Plenty of fluids must be consumed when taking this medication to help excrete it from the body and to lessen some side effects.

Side Effects

Methotrexate uses determine the dose, and the dose can sometimes affect how many side effects a patient experiences. Common side effects include stomach pain, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness. Patients may lose their hair temporarily with this medication, but it most often grows back once this medication is stopped. The serious side effects include:

Mouth sores
Fever
Persistent sore throat
Black stools
Enlarged lymph nodes or glands
Bone pain
Jaundice
Chest pain
Trouble breathing
Vision changes
Muscle weakness
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Unusual bleeding or bruising
Skin rash
Dark urine
Unusual skin discoloration or pain
Amount of urine change
Dry cough
Calf swelling or pain
Irregular heart beat
Seizures
Mood or mental changes

Contraindications

Patients with certain medical conditions typically must avoid this medication. Such condition include:

Liver disease
Severe lung disease
Suppressed immune system
Stomach or intestinal diseases
An active infection
Severe kidney disease
Alcohol use
Bone marrow disorders
Blood cell disorders
Folic acid deficiency

Avoid immunizations and vaccinations when taking this medication unless a doctor says otherwise. Avoid the sun because this medication can cause sun sensitivity.

Drug Interactions

Certain other drugs and medications will interact. These include:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Aspirin
Acitretin
Live vaccines
Pyrimethamine
Asparaginase
Natalizumab
Other cancer drugs and medications
Ciprofloxacin
Leflunomide
Penicillins
Probenecid
Sulfa medications
Certain antibiotics
Digoxin
Drugs that could be toxic to the liver
Phenytoin
Procarbazine
Theophylline

Warnings and Precautions

Women who are pregnant should never use this medication. It has caused death in unborn babies and birth defects. Women taking this medication must not become pregnant. In rare cases, bone marrow suppression can be caused by this medication, typically when taken in high dosages. Lung problems, skin reactions, mouth sores, lung infections, diarrhea, and abnormal growths have infrequently occurred when taking this medication. In rare cases, there is a risk of bone and tissue damage when this medication is taken along with radiation therapy.