Valrubicin (Mucosal-Local)

Brand Names : Valstar

Before Using This Medicine

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

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to valrubicin or to similar medicines (daunorubicin, doxorubicin, epirubicin). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Valrubicin has not been studied in humans but has been found to cause birth defects and other problems in animals. Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you intend to have children (for women and men).

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether valrubicin instilled into the bladder passes into breast milk. However, because of the possible harmful effects if it gets into the milk, breast-feeding is not recommended during treatment with this medicine.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of valrubicin in children with use in other age groups.

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 the use of valrubicin in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine has been used mostly in patients older than 60 years of age and 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. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

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

• Bladder irritation or other bladder problems - Increased risk of unwanted effects

• Small bladder - Possible trouble in being able to hold all of the solution
• Urinary tract infection