Dexrazoxane, Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given to treat or prevent problems from chemotherapy medicines.
• You may get infections more easily when you are taking this medicine.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: chemoprotective

Generic and brand names: dexrazoxane, injection; Totect; Zinecard

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injection (shots) or IV infusion to:

• Treat symptoms from chemotherapy medicines that accidentally leak into your tissue
• Prevent serious heart muscle problems from chemotherapy medicines

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine
• Liver or kidney disease

Females of childbearing age: This medicine is not usually given to pregnant women because it can harm the baby. If you are pregnant, tell your healthcare provider. Do not become pregnant during treatment with this medicine. If you become pregnant, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not breast-feed while you are receiving this medicine.

How do I use it?

This medicine is given by your healthcare provider in a clinic or hospital. If you are receiving this medicine to prevent serious heart muscle problems from other chemotherapy medicine, it is given before chemotherapy medicine. Your healthcare provider will explain.

What should I watch out for?

You need blood tests and exams regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests and exams.

You may get infections more easily or bleed more easily when you are taking this medicine. Stay away from people with colds, flu, or other infections. Also, do not have any vaccines without getting your healthcare provider's approval first.

This medicine may increase your risk for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This medicine may increase the side effects of other cancer medicines. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

If you are receiving this medicine to prevent serious heart muscle problems from other chemotherapy medicine, this medicine may not protect your heart completely. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms of heart problems, such as trouble breathing, chest pain, lightheadedness, dizziness, or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are receiving this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; chest pain or tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Severe nausea or vomiting, severe diarrhea, unusual tiredness or weakness, fever, couth, sore throat, trouble swallowing or breathing, severe mouth sores, unusual bruising or bleeding, unexplained swelling, severe rash, severe redness or swelling at the injection site, numbness or tingling in hands or feet.

Other: Pain at the site of the injections, itching, white patches inside your mouth, loss of appetite, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, diarrhea.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Cancer medicines such as cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), daunorubicin (Cerubidine), doxorubicin (Doxil), epirubicin (Ellence), fluorouracil (Adrucil, Carac, Efudex, Fluoroplex), idarubicin (Idamycin), and mitoxantrone (Novantrone)
• Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, Rimso-50)

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.