DACARBAZINE

Fetal Risk Summary

No reports describing the use of dacarbazine in human pregnancy have been located. Single intraperitoneal doses of 800 or 1000 mg/kg in pregnant rats produced skeletal reduction defects, cleft palates, and encephaloceles in their offspring (1).

No congenital malformations were observed in four liveborn offspring of one male and one female treated with dacarbazine during childhood or adolescence (2).

Occupational exposure of the mother to antineoplastic agents during pregnancy may present a risk to the fetus. A position statement from the National Study Commission on Cytotoxic Exposure and a research article involving some antineoplastics agents are presented in the monograph for cyclophosphamide (see Cyclophosphamide).

Breast Feeding Summary

No reports describing the use of dacarbazine during lactation have been located. Because of the potential for severe adverse effects, such as hemopoietic depression, in a nursing infant, the drug should not be used during breast feeding.

References

1. Chaube S. Protective effects of thymidine, and 5-aminoimidazolecarboxamide and riboflavin against fetal abnormalities produced in rats by 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide. Cancer Res 1973;33:2231–40. As cited in Shepard TH. Catalog of Teratogenic Agents. 6th ed. Baltimore, MD:Johns Hopkins University Press, 1989:189.
2. Green DM, Zevon MA, Lowries G, Seigelstein N, Hall B. Congenital anomalies in children of patients who received chemotherapy for cancer in childhood and adolescence. N Engl J Med 1991;325:141–6.