Mitomycin

Brand name: Mitomycin

Chemical name: Mutamycin

Class: Antitumor antibiotic chemotherapy. No other antitumor antibiotics are used to treat breast cancer.

How it works: Antitumor antibiotics kill cancer cells by damaging their genes and interfering with their reproduction.

Uses: Mitomycin is used to treat advanced-stage breast cancer.

How it's given: Mitomycin is given intravenously.

Side effects:

• low white blood cell counts
• susceptibility to infection
• fatigue
• nausea
• vomiting
• hair loss
• mouth sores
• irregular periods -- this can include temporary cessation (usually resume after medication is completed) or permanent cessation of menstrual periods depending on your age and other factors