Vinorelbine (Systemic)
Brand Names : Navelbine
Before Receiving This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine, the risks of receiving the medicine must
be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor
will make. For vinorelbine, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to vinorelbine.
Pregnancy - Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you intend
to have children. This medicine may cause birth defects if either the male
or female is receiving it at the time of conception or if it is taken during
pregnancy. In addition, many cancer medicines may cause sterility, which could
be permanent. Although decreased fertility has been reported only in male
rats with this medicine, the possibility of an effect in human males and females
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 vinorelbine. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become
pregnant while receiving vinorelbine.
Breast-feeding - Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or if
you intend to breast-feed during treatment with this medicine. Because vinorelbine
may cause serious side effects in nursing babies, breast-feeding is generally
not recommended while you are receiving this medicine.
Children - There is no specific information comparing use of
vinorelbine in children with use in other age groups. Safety and efficacy
of vinorelbine in children have not been established.
Older adults - Vinorelbine has been studied in the elderly. Although
patients older than 65 years of age have shown a slight increase in side effects
compared with patients younger than 65 years of age, the overall safety and
efficacy of vinorelbine are not different for older people.
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 taking
vinorelbine, 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
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Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
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Colchicine or
-
Cyclophosphamide (e.g., Cytoxan) or
-
Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
-
Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
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Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
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Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
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Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) or
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Mitomycin (e.g., Mutamycin) or
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Paclitaxel (e.g., Taxol) or
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Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
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Zidovudine (e.g., Retrovir) or
-
If you have ever been treated with x-rays or cancer medicines - Vinorelbine
may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation therapy on the blood
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of vinorelbine. 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
-
Infection - Vinorelbine may decrease your body's ability to fight
infections
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