How Assistance Works
Streamlining our patient’s specialty pharmacy experience with unmatched full-service convenience
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1. Check Your Coverage/Benefits Verification
Our team of expert billers finds the best avenues of coverage that minimize out-of-pocket costs.
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2. Transfer Prescription to AmeriPharma®
We process your prescription by working with your previous pharmacy or prescriber, making the transition quick and easy.
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3. Prior Authorization
Our team of specialists obtains approval from your insurance companies within 24 to 72 hours.
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4. Copay Assistance & Financial Aid
We secure financial aid and decrease copays, out-of-pocket expenses, and high deductibles. To date, AmeriPharma® Specialty Care has secured $55 million in financial assistance for our patients.
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5. Nursing Care Coordination
AmeriPharma® puts your schedule and home environment first when scheduling and coordinating one of our specialized nurses for your in-home infusions.
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6. Delivery Coordination
Medications are always delivered in strict compliance with the specific requirements for shipping. Next-day and overnight cold-chain deliveries are coordinated around your schedule.
What is Mytomycin?
First identified by microbiologists in Japan in the 1950s, mitomycin is an alkylating, anti-tumor antibiotic that belongs to the antineoplastics (or cytotoxic) group of medicines. It is one of the oldest chemotherapy drugs, having been used for decades, and is available under the trade name of Mutamycin and is also available as MTC or Mitomycin-C.
This medication works by impeding the development of DNA, the cell’s genetic material. This stops cancer cells from splitting into two new cells. Mitomycin can also impact normal cell growth; therefore, it is usually not the first treatment option. Mitomycin can cause serious side effects, and patients using this medication must be closely monitored.
What is Mytomycin Used to Treat?
Mitomycin is used in chemotherapy to treat certain types of cancer, including peritoneum, lung, lip, oral cavity, pharynx, head and neck, colorectal, cervical, breast, bladder, and anal cancer. It is also used for treating mesotheliomas, adenocarcinoma of the pancreas or stomach, and low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer in adults. In addition, mitomycin has recently been found beneficial to use adjunctly in glaucoma surgeries.
Because of the potential effects on healthy cells, the drug is generally recommended when cancer has spread throughout the body and is not responding to treatment from radiation, surgery, or other medications.
Copay and Financial Assistance
AmeriPharma™ Specialty Pharmacy alleviates financial burdens for patients and their families
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Advanced software locates funding sources to match you with top-dollar foundation programs
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One of our copay assistance specialists will assist with the application process
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Automatic updates will be sent to you and your physician on the status of the funding
Mitomycin Dosing Information
Mitomycin is administered by a trained medical professional in an outpatient chemotherapy unit or through a hospital stay. The drug may be used in tandem with radiotherapy or with additional cancer-treating drugs. Medical professionals who will assist with the administration of treatment include cancer doctors (oncologists), chemotherapy or specialist nurses, and specialist pharmacists.
Prior to receiving the treatment, a phlebotomist will draw a blood sample to ensure that blood cells are at an appropriate level for chemotherapy. Antiemetic drugs are generally administered prior to the start of treatment to prevent sickness. The drug will be administered through one of the following:
- Cannula: A tube inserted in a vein in the hand or arm
- Central line: A tube inserted into a vein under the skin of the chest
- PICC line: A tube inserted into a vein in the arm
- Implantable port: A disc implanted under the skin on the arm or chest, connected to a vein in the chest
Mitomycin Side Effects
While mitomycin may cause some side effects, it is important to remember that not everyone will experience any or all of the possible side effects, and there are numerous options to prevent or minimize them. The onset and duration of side effects are generally predictable, and they are nearly always reversible and cease once the treatment is finished. Side effects due to mitomycin largely depend on the quantity of the drug used and the process of dosing. An experienced medical professional will monitor the patient throughout the process.
Allergic Reactions
Some individuals may have an allergy to this drug and experience one of the following reaction symptoms:
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Itching
- Flushing or feeling hot
- Pain in the back, chest, or stomach
- Rash
- Shivering
- Swelling of the mouth or face
- Wheezing
Side Effects Reported by Over 30% of Patients
- Bleeding gums
- Fatigue
- Low blood counts (temporary decrease in both red and white blood cells and platelets)
- Mouth sores
- Nosebleeds
- Poor appetite
Side Effects Reported by 10-29% of Patients
- Bladder inflammation (burning, cramping, pain, and frequency of urination) — generally experienced with intravesical therapy
- Blisters, dry skin, itching, or rash
- Coughing or breathing difficulties
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Hair loss
- Kidney changes
- Mild vomiting and nausea
- Redness or soreness on the palms and soles (also known as hand-foot syndrome)
Rare But Potentially Serious Complications
- Extravasation. When the medication leaks outside the vein, it can cause serious tissue damage.
- Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (seen in fewer than 2% of patients). This condition can lead to damage to blood vessel walls, destruction of red blood cells, and potential kidney failure.
- Lung conditions (including pneumonitis or pulmonary fibrosis). Usually, lung conditions occur more often in older patients or those with pre-existing lung problems.
Insurances Accepted
We accept Medicare, multi-state Medicaid, Medi-Cal, Blue Shield, and most private insurances. Call us to find out more about your coverage.
Get Started in Minutes
Fill out your information and one of our specialists will call you ASAP.
How Much Can You Save?
Speak with a copay assistance specialist
(877) 778-0318
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