Cladribine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Leustatin, 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine, 2-CdA

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 cladribine, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy - There is a chance that this medicine may cause birth defects if either the male or female is taking it at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. Cladribine has been shown to cause birth defects in mice and rabbits. In addition, many cancer medicines may cause sterility which could be permanent. Although sterility has not been reported with this medicine, fertility problems do occur in male monkeys and the possibility should be kept in mind.

Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before receiving this medicine. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are receiving cladribine. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving cladribine.

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

Children - There is no specific information comparing use of cladribine in children with use in other age groups. However, cladribine has been reported to be tested in children with certain types of cancers of the blood.

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. Although there is no specific information comparing use of cladribine in the elderly with use in other age groups, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

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 cladribine it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) or
• If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medicines - Cladribine may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation therapy on the blood

• Probenecid (e.g., Benemid) or
• Sulfinpyrazone (e.g., Anturane) - Cladribine may raise the amount of uric acid in the blood. Since these medicines are used to lower uric acid levels, they may not be as effective in patients receiving cladribine

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of cladribine. 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

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

• Infection - Cladribine may decrease your body's ability to fight infection