Cancer drugs A to Z list
Belantamab mafodotin, pomalidomide and dexamethasone is a combination of cancer drugs. You pronounce them as:
belantamab mafodotin – bel-an-ta-mab ma-foe-doe-tin
pomalidomide - pom-a-lid-oh-mide
dexamethasone - deks-ah-meth-uh-zone
It is a treatment for myeloma when:
you have only had one treatment and that included the cancer drug lenalidomide
the lenalidomide isn’t working or is causing you too many side effects
You might have belantamab mafodotin, pomalidomide and dexamethasone as part of a .
Find out more about treatment for myeloma
Belantamab mafodotin is a type of cancer drug called an antibody drug conjugate (ADC). This means it is made up of 2 drugs:
belantamab – a type of targeted drug called a
maleimidocaproyl monomethyl auristatin F (mcMMAF) - a drug
Belantamab targets myeloma cells by attaching to a protein called B‐cell maturation antigen (BCMA) on their surface. It then releases the mafodotin into the cell. This damages or kills the myeloma cell and stops it from growing.
Pomalidomide is a type of called an immunomodulator. It works in a number of ways, including:
encouraging the immune system to kill myeloma cells
stopping myeloma cells developing
stopping the myeloma from making its own - cancers need a blood supply to be able to grow
Dexamethasone is a . It helps pomalidomide to work better and to kill myeloma cells. It also helps prevent an allergic reaction to belantamab mafodotin.
You have belantamab mafodotin as a drip into your bloodstream (intravenously).
You take pomalidomide as capsules. You usually take dexamethasone as tablets.
You have treatment through a thin short tube (a cannula) that goes into a vein in your arm. You have a new cannula each time you have treatment.
You take dexamethasone tablets with or just after a meal. Or with milk as they can irritate your stomach. Taking them in the morning might help to stop difficulty in sleeping (insomnia).
You take pomalidomide capsules with a glass of water. You need to swallow the capsules whole. Don’t break or chew them. You should take them at the same time every day. You can take pomalidomide with or without food.
When removing pomalidomide from the blister pack it’s suggested you press at one end of the capsule to remove it. This is to help prevent damaging or breaking the capsule.
Whether you have a full or empty stomach can affect how much of a drug gets into your bloodstream.
You should take the right dose, not more or less.
Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug, or if you have missed a dose.
You have BPd as cycles of treatment. This means you have the treatment and then a rest to allow your body to recover.
Each cycle lasts 28 days (4 weeks). You have each cycle in the following way:
You take dexamethasone as tablets in the morning with or after food.
You take pomalidomide as a capsule.
You have belantamab mafodotin as a drip into your bloodstream over 30 minutes.
You take pomalidomide as a capsule.
You take dexamethasone as tablets in the morning with or after food.
You take pomalidomide as a capsule.
You take pomalidomide as a capsule.
You take dexamethasone as tablets in the morning with or after food.
You take pomalidomide as a capsule.
You take pomalidomide as a capsule.
You take dexamethasone as tablets in the morning with or after food.
You have no treatment.
You then start the next cycle of treatment
You continue having BPd for as long as the treatment is working and you are not experiencing too many side effects.
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Before treatment starts you may have a blood test to check for viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. This is called a viral screen.
It’s important for your doctor to know if you have had any of these viruses. This is because this treatment can weaken your and can cause the virus to become active again (reactivation).
You have your eyes tested before each of the first 4 doses of belantamab mafodotin. This is because it can cause eye problems. Your doctor may ask you to have more eye tests before later doses.
Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatments you're having.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
you have severe side effects
your side effects aren’t getting any better
your side effects are getting worse
Early treatment can help manage side effects better.
We haven't listed all the side effects here. Talk to your healthcare team if you have any new symptoms that you think might be a side effect of your treatment.
Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects. But you might have some of them at the same time.
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
Increased risk of getting an infection is due to a drop in . Symptoms include a change in temperature, aching muscles, cough, headaches, feeling cold and shivery, pain or a burning feeling when peeing or generally feeling unwell. You might have other symptoms depending on where the infection is.
Infections can sometimes be life threatening. You should contact your advice line urgently if you think you have an infection.
This is due to a drop in the number of platelets in your blood. These blood cells help the blood to clot when we cut ourselves. You may have nosebleeds or bleeding gums after brushing your teeth. Or you may have lots of tiny red spots or bruises on your arms or legs. This is known as petechiae.
You might be breathless and look pale due to a drop in . This is called anaemia.
You might have eye problems including changes in your eyesight or blurred vision. Your eyes may also feel irritated, painful, like there is something in them and dry. Your eyes might be sensitive to light.
Your eye specialist may find changes to the clear layer covering the front of your eye (cornea) when you have your eyes tested.
Less commonly your eyes may be watery, itchy or you may have double vision. Your eye specialist might find a sore (ulcer) on your cornea during your eye tests.
Your doctor will give you eye drops to use while you are having treatment.
You might feel very tired and as though you lack energy.
Various things can help you to reduce tiredness and cope with it, for example exercise. Some research has shown that taking gentle exercise can give you more energy. It is important to balance exercise with resting.
Contact your advice line if you have diarrhoea. For example, in one day you have 2 or more loose bowel movements than usual. If you have a , you might have more output than normal. Your doctor may give you anti diarrhoea medicine to take home with you after treatment.
Try to eat small meals and snacks regularly. It’s best to try to have a healthy balanced diet if you can. You don’t necessarily need to stop eating foods that contain . But if your diet is normally very high in fibre, it might help to cut back on high fibre foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bran and raw vegetables.
Drink plenty to try and replace the fluid lost. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Feeling or being sick is usually well controlled with anti sickness medicines. It might help to avoid fatty or fried foods, eat small meals and snacks and take regular sips of water. Relaxation techniques might also help.
It is important to take anti sickness medicines as prescribed even if you don’t feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness rather than treat it once it has started.
You might have liver changes that are usually mild and unlikely to cause symptoms. They usually go back to normal when treatment finishes.
Rarely your liver can become inflamed (hepatitis). Symptoms may include yellowing of the skin or eyes, feeling or being sick, bleeding or bruising, dark urine, and stomach pain.
You can also get problems with the blood supply to the liver which can cause a build up of fluid in your tummy (ascites). But this is also rare.
You have regular blood tests to check for any changes in the way your liver is working. Let your doctor or nurse know straight away if you have any of these symptoms.
You might lose your appetite for various reasons while having cancer treatment. Sickness, taste changes or tiredness can put you off food and drinks.
You might develop a cough or breathing problems. This could be due to infection such as pneumonia. Less commonly it can be caused by changes to your lung tissue causing inflammation and scaring.
is easier to sort out if you treat it early. Drink plenty and eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you can. Try to take gentle exercise, such as walking. Tell your healthcare team if you think you are constipated. They can give you a if needed.
Let your doctor or nurse know if you have muscle spasms during or after having treatment.
Tell your healthcare team straight away if you get a high temperature. Ask them if you can take paracetamol to help lower your temperature.
You may have swelling of your hands and legs due to a build up of fluid (oedema).
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
an allergic reaction. Symptoms can include a fever, chills, diarrhoea, feeling sick, feeling very weak and tired, high blood pressure and a fast heart rate. Other symptoms may include a skin rash, itching, swelling of the lips, face or throat, breathing difficulties. Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if at any time you feel unwell. They will slow or stop your drip for a while and give you medicine to help relieve your symptoms
a rash, itchy skin or an itchy raised rash
changes in levels of minerals and salts in your blood, including low levels of sodium or high levels of potassium or
confusion
a reduced feeling in your hands and feet
dizziness or a feeling of the room spinning or moving around you (vertigo)
feeling shaky (tremors)
lower levels of awareness (consciousness)
heart problems such as an irregular heartbeat, heart failure or a . Symptoms include feeling your heart beating really fast, shortness of breath or feeling light headed -tell your doctor or nurse straight away if you have any of these symptoms. You should go to accident and emergency (A&E) if you have chest pain
blood clots that can be life threatening; signs are pain, redness and swelling where the clot is. Feeling breathless can be a sign of a blood clot in the lung. Contact your advice line or doctor straight away if you have any of these symptoms
bleeding in your stomach or bowel – contact your healthcare team straight away if you have blood in your poo or sick
not being able to pee
your kidneys may stop working – symptoms might include not passing enough urine (pee), breathlessness, feeling tired and weak, confused, feeling sick, and you might have swelling on your legs, ankles and feet
These side effects happen in fewer than 1 in 100 people (less than 1%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
a skin cancer such as carcinoma or
changes to the levels of chemicals in your blood due to the breakdown of tumour cells (tumour lysis syndrome) - you have regular blood tests to check for this
a stroke - symptoms can include drooping of one side of the face, being unable to smile, having numbness or weakness on one side of the body or being unable to talk. Dial 999 immediately if you have these symptoms
a flare up of hepatitis B. This might happen if you have had hepatitis B before (reactivation)
There isn't enough information to work out how often these side effects might happen. You might have one or more of them. They include:
Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis - a severe skin reaction that may start as tender patches. Depending on your skin tone this may look red, brown, grey, blue, purple or darker than your normal skin. This can lead to peeling or blistering of the skin. You might also feel feverish and your eyes may be more sensitive to light. This is serious and could be life threatening
a high level of white blood cells in the blood
your and not working properly
menstrual cycle changes - periods may become irregular or stop
excess growth of body and facial hair or hair thinning
a swollen or puffy face with acne and increased facial hair (Cushing syndrome)
increased appetite and weight gain
changes in your mental health including feeling very low (depression), feeling very happy (euphoria) and worsening of mental health conditions such as schizophrenia
difficulty getting to or staying asleep (insomnia)
headaches
a high blood pressure - symptoms can include blurred vision, nosebleeds, dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath and chest pain
hiccups
indigestion - symptoms include heartburn, bloating and burping
inflammation of the (pancreatitis) – symptoms include severe tummy pain, feeling or being sick, a high temperature or you may have loose poo
passing more wind than normal
ulcers or in your food pipe (oesophagus)
skin changes including thinning of the skin, patchy changes in skin colour and an increase in sweating
weakened bones that are fragile and more likely to break (osteoporosis) – this may happen if you take dexamethasone for a long time
muscle weakness and loss of muscle
problems getting or keeping an (impotence)
wounds that are slow to heal
You might have other side effects that aren't listed on this page. Look at the drug pages for:
Belantamab mafodotin is a new drug in cancer treatment. So, there is limited information available at the moment about possible rare and longer term effects that it may cause. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is not normal for you.
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We do not list these interactions on this page. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.
Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know if you have any other medical conditions or allergies.
You may not be able to become pregnant or get someone pregnant after treatment with these drugs. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
Men might be able to store sperm before starting treatment. And women might be able to store eggs or ovarian tissue. But these services are not available in every hospital, so you would need to ask your doctor about this.
Pomalidomide can cause birth defects in children. So, you must not become pregnant or get someone pregnant while having treatment.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting treatment. They will make sure that you understand the risks of taking pomalidomide.
If you are able to become pregnant, before taking this treatment you need to agree to use effective contraception:
for 4 weeks before starting treatment
during treatment
for at least 4 months after finishing treatment
Your healthcare team will do a pregnancy test at the hospital:
before you start treatment
every 4 weeks during treatment
4 weeks after you finish treatment
People who are pregnant should not touch or handle pomalidomide. You must store it in a place where children cannot reach it.
This treatment might harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to get someone pregnant while you are having treatment and for at least 6 months afterwards. You should wear a condom if you have sex during this period of time.
It is not known whether these drugs come through into the breast milk.
Doctors usually advise that you stop breastfeeding before starting treatment. You shouldn’t restart until at least 3 months after treatment has finished.
If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.
Do not have live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. For some people, it may be longer than this. The length of time you need to avoid live vaccines depends on the treatment you’ve had.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, chickenpox, BCG, and yellow fever. You can usually have non-live vaccines. But they might not give you as much protection as usual. These include the:
flu vaccine, as an injection
coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the best time to have a vaccine in relation to your cancer treatment.
You can be in contact with other people who have had live vaccines as injections. If someone has had a live vaccine by mouth or nasal spray there may be a small risk the vaccine virus can be passed onto you if your is weakened.
Your healthcare team will let you know if you need to take any precautions if you are in close contact with someone who has had a live vaccine.
For further information about each drug and the possible side effects go to the electronic medicines compendium (emc) website. You can find patient information leaflets for each drug on this website.
You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.
Last reviewed: 20 Oct 2026
Next review due: 20 Oct 2029
Myeloma is a type of blood cancer. Find information and support about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and living with myeloma.
Cancer drugs have side effects and these can vary from person to person. But there are things that you can do to help you cope.
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