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What Is Melphalan Used For?
from eMedTV.comIs It Safe for Older Adults to Use Melphalan?
There were not enough older adults in melphalan clinical trials to determine whether they respond any differently to this medicine than younger age groups. This product can be used in older adults; however, they may be more sensitive to the side effects of the medication and, therefore, may need to be started on lower doses and monitored more closely.What About Off-Label Uses?
On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend this medicine for something other than the uses discussed in this article. This is called an "off-label" use. For example, melphalan may be prescribed off-label to treat:- Polycythemia vera, a bone marrow disease associated with abnormally high levels of red blood cells
- Breast cancer
- Testicular cancer (cancer of the testicles)
- Endometrial cancer
- Amyloidosis
- Rhabdomyosarcoma (cancer of the skeletal muscle) in children
- Neuroblastoma (cancer that develops from nerve tissue) in children
- Blood and bone marrow cancers in children.
Written by/reviewed by: Susan Lakey, PharmD, MPH, BCPP
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD