Belinostat – known by the name brand Beleodaq – is an anti-cancer drug used during the chemotherapy phase of cancer treatment. Belinostat is classified as an HDAC (histone deacetylase inhibitor) for the treatment of refractory or relapsed peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Given as an intravenous injection over 30 minutes for 5 days in a row, this process is continued every 3 weeks in the hopes that there will be a reduction in cancer cells in the body. Rx Assistance Programs offers a reduction in the cost of this drug through programs known as Patient Assistance Programs, which offer a better price in comparison to coupons.

How Does Belinostat Work?

Abnormal cell division and growth are the causes of cancer. Cancer cells lose the ability to have normal cell function and checks and balances; most ‘normal’ cells will stop division when they divide next to normal cells, a process called contact inhibition. Through the cell cycle, the process of cell division is indiscriminate: both normal cells and cancerous cells will divide and replicate. Chemotherapy essentially halts the cell division of cancerous cells and usually work by damaging the DNA or RNA that tells cells how to copy itself during the division process. If the cells do not divide, they die; this induces cell suicide, which can cause a cancerous tumor to shrink.

The problem with chemotherapy is that the drug damages both healthy and cancerous cells, generally targeting the most rapidly-dividing cells first.

Belinostat Side Effects

Due to the fact that chemotherapy will damage both healthy cells and cancerous cells, side effects are likely to occur. The silver lining in this process is that healthy cells will have the ability to regenerate after the chemotherapy is over; the idea behind this is that the cancerous cells will stop dividing and will commit cell suicide during this process. Some of the side effects that may or may not occur include:

• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Constipation and/or diarrhea
• Swelling of the feet or ankles
• Sudden weight gain
• Blood in the urine or stools
• Extreme fatigue
• Pain or burning with urination

You can mitigate some of these side effects by drinking 3 quarts of fluid every 24 hours, maintaining good nutrition, getting plenty of rest, and performing daily gentle exercise.

Belinostat Cost

Even with a coupon, one 500mg vial of Beleodaq (Belinostat) can cost upwards of $1,800 on average. That is a high price to pay for medication; however, if you have cancer, chemotherapy is a necessary treatment in the eradication of cancerous tumors. We understand that many Americans are uninsured or under-insured, which is why we founded Rx Assistance Programs. We work with pharmaceutical companies and doctors to provide a substantial reduction in cost for drugs like Belinostat. To find out if you qualify for our patient assistance program, contact us at 1-(855) 201-0232 today.