Bendeka (Bendamustine Hydrochloride) for Lymphoma

Overview
Bendeka is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in people whose disease has progressed during or within six months of treatment with rituximab (a monoclonal antibody used to treat certain types of cancer) or a rituximab-containing regimen. People eligible for Bendeka must have previously received and failed treatment with rituximab. Bendeka is also known by its drug name, bendamustine hydrochloride.

Bendeka is an alkylating agent. It works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, which interferes with their ability to multiply. This action leads to the death of cancer cells, helping to manage and control the progression of lymphoma.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Bendeka is administered as an intravenous infusion. For indolent B-cell NHL, it is administered over 10 minutes on Days 1 and 2 of a 21-day cycle, for up to eight cycles. The treatment should be administered exactly as prescribed by a health care provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Bendeka for people with NHL include lymphopenia (a decrease in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell), leukopenia (a reduction in white blood cell count), anemia (a low red blood cell count), neutropenia (a decrease in neutrophils, a type of white blood cell), thrombocytopenia (a decrease in platelets), nausea, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, pyrexia (fever), constipation, anorexia (loss of appetite), cough, headache, weight loss, dyspnea (shortness of breath), rash, and stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth).

Rare but serious side effects may include myelosuppression (bone marrow suppression), severe infections, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML, a rare brain infection), severe allergic reactions (including anaphylaxis), tumor lysis syndrome (a rapid breakdown of cancer cells that can lead to kidney failure), severe skin reactions (such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, and toxic epidermal necrolysis), hepatotoxicity (liver damage), potential development of other malignancies (cancers), and embryo-fetal toxicity (damage to an embryo, fetus, or unborn baby). It is also important to monitor for extravasation injury (damage caused by the drug leaking into surrounding tissues).

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Label: Bendeka — Bendamustine Hydrochloride Injection, Solution — DailyMed

Bendamustine Injection — MedlinePlus