Asparaginase (Systemic)

Brand Names : Elspar, Kidrolase, colaspase

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For asparaginase, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to asparaginase.

Pregnancy - Asparaginase has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in mice and rats have shown that asparaginase slows the weight gain of infants and may also increase the risk of birth defects or cause a decrease in successful pregnancies. In addition, asparaginase has caused birth defects in rabbits.

It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are receiving asparaginase. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving asparaginase.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether asparaginase passes into breast milk. However, because asparaginase may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are receiving it.

Children - This medicine has been tested in children and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults. In fact, the side effects of this medicine seem to be less severe in children than in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of asparaginase in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving asparaginase it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Probenecid (e.g., Benemid) or
• Sulfinpyrazone (e.g., Anturane) - Asparaginase may raise the concentration of uric acid in the blood. Since these medicines are used to lower uric acid levels, they may not work as well in patients receiving asparaginase

• If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medicines - Asparaginase may increase the total effects of these medications and radiation therapy

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of asparaginase. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
• Herpes zoster (shingles) - Risk of severe disease affecting other parts of the body

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) - Asparaginase may increase glucose (sugar) in the blood

• Gout or
• Kidney stones - Asparaginase may increase levels of uric acid in the body, which can cause gout or kidney stones

• Infection - Asparaginase can reduce your body's ability to fight infection

• Liver disease - Asparaginase may worsen the condition

• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) - Asparaginase may cause pancreatitis