Melphalan
Melphalan is an oral chemotherapy medicine used for multiple myeloma and some ovarian cancer, sold here as Alkacel 2mg tablets.
What melphalan tablets are used for
Melphalan is a chemotherapy medicine taken by mouth. Its main use is multiple myeloma, a cancer that starts in the plasma cells inside bone marrow, and it is also used for one type of ovarian cancer. It is also given for other conditions, including breast cancer and amyloidosis, where abnormal proteins build up in organs and tissues. Because it travels through the bloodstream, it reaches cancer cells in different parts of the body.
How melphalan stops cancer cells
Melphalan belongs to a group of medicines called alkylating agents. It binds to DNA and links the two strands together, so a cell can no longer copy its genetic material or divide, and in time it dies. Cells that divide often are hit hardest, which is what makes the medicine useful against cancer — and also why the bone marrow and the lining of the mouth and gut notice it.
How melphalan is taken
Tablets are swallowed with water, usually once a day on an empty stomach and at about the same time each day. How long treatment runs depends on the cancer being treated and how well it responds; some courses are short and intensive, others last months.
Bone marrow and other effects
Melphalan acts hardest on the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. White cells, red cells and platelets can fall sharply, leaving the body open to infection and bleeding, and the drop can begin before any symptom is felt. That is the reason for regular blood tests during treatment.
Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss and mouth ulcers come earlier and are more common. Fever, a sore throat, a cough or congestion that will not clear, unusual bruising or bleeding, black tarry stools, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds all need urgent treatment. A second cancer can also develop later on.
Alkacel 2mg tablets
The melphalan in this range is Alkacel, 2mg tablets. Each tablet is swallowed with water, once a day, following the schedule set for the condition being treated. Live vaccines and medicines that damp down the immune system are the main ones to keep away from melphalan.
Sources
- Melphalan: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Myeloma - Cancer Australia — Cancer Australia
Where can I order Melphalan for delivery in Hong Kong?
Melphalan can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The range here is Alkacel 2mg tablets. A tracked courier brings orders to Hong Kong in 5 to 9 business days, with online tracking included.
What is the price of Melphalan?
Alkacel is priced per pack: its page lists every strength and pack size with the current price in HKD or your chosen currency.
What is another name for melphalan?
Melphalan is sold under brand names including Alkeran. Here, melphalan can be bought online as Alkacel. These are generics, not the original brand.
Which medicines interact with Melphalan?
Vaccines and immunosuppressants are the medicines noted as interacting with melphalan. Alkacel tablets in 2mg are sold here.
Should melphalan be taken with food?
Melphalan tablets are usually taken on an empty stomach, once a day, at roughly the same time each day. Swallow the tablet with water. Food is not part of the standard routine, so it is simplest to keep meals and doses apart.
How long does melphalan treatment last?
There is no fixed course. It depends on the condition being treated, which other medicines are used alongside it, and how well the cancer responds. Some people have short, intensive cycles; others take it for months. Courses are often paused or the dose adjusted along the way.
Are melphalan tablets the same as the injection?
They contain the same active ingredient, but they are used differently. Tablets are taken by mouth, while the injection goes into a vein and is usually given in hospital, often at much higher doses — for example, before a stem cell transplant. Only the tablet form is sold here.
What strength of melphalan is available?
Alkacel comes as 2mg tablets, and 2mg is the only strength in this range. How many tablets make up a dose varies between treatment plans, which is why one tablet strength is used across different regimens.