Vincristine, Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by IV to treat various types of cancer.
• You may get infections or bleed more easily when you are taking this medicine.
• Keep all appointments for tests to see how this medicine affects you.
• 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: vinca alkaloid; antineoplastic (anticancer)

Generic and brand names: vincristine, injection; Vincasar PFS

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by IV injection (shot) or IV infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein) to treat various types of cancer. You may also be given other anticancer drugs.

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
• A blockage in the intestines, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis
• A blood disorder or bone marrow problems
• Breathing problems or lung disease
• Diseases of your nerves or muscles, especially Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
• Gout
• Heart disease
• Kidney or liver disease

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any signs of infection such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fever, chills, or mouth sores before or after starting this medicine.

This medicine may make you sterile (unable to have children) whether you are a man or a woman. If you plan to have children someday, talk with your healthcare provider before you start treatment.

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?

These infusions are given only by healthcare providers experienced with this drug. Your dose depends on what the medicine is being used for, your weight or size, and whether or not other medicines are also being taken. Keep all your appointments for your treatments.

This medicine can be very harmful it if comes into contact with your skin or eyes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you notice any pain, redness, or swelling at the place of injection.

What should I watch out for?

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

You may get infections 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.

You may bleed more easily when you are taking this medicine. Do not drink alcohol or take aspirin while receiving this medicine unless your healthcare provider approves. It may increase the risk of bleeding. This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, which may lead to painful sunburns. While you are taking this medicine, avoid long exposure to the sun. Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunscreen lotion when you need to be outdoors. Do not use a sunlamp. If you get a severe sunburn, contact your healthcare provider right away.

This medicine may cause constipation. Drink plenty of fluids while you are receiving this medicine. Your healthcare provider can prescribe a stool softener to help prevent constipation.

Hair loss is common during treatment with this medicine. The hair will grow back when treatment is reduced or stopped.

This medicine may make your mouth sore. Use a soft bristle brush or mouth swab to brush your teeth.

Adults over the age of 65 may be at greater risk for side effects.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received 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 are severe.

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; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat); sudden weakness, numbness, or tingling, especially on one side of your body; sudden or severe headache; sudden trouble with vision, speech, balance, or walking.

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Sore throat; fever; chills; unusual bruising or bleeding; bloody urine or bowel movements; yellowing of the skin or eyes; severe dizziness; trouble hearing; unusual tiredness or weakness; mouth or lip sores; severe or continued nausea or vomiting; severe constipation or stomach pain; severe jaw or bone pain; severe joint or muscle pain; vision problems; trouble urinating; pain, redness, or swelling around the injection site; shortness of breath or trouble breathing; chest pain; seizures.

Other: Loss of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, headache, trouble sleeping.

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:

• Abiraterone (Zytiga)
• Antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin), rifapentine (Priftin), and telithromycin (Ketek)
• Antifungal medicines such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), posaconazole (Noxafil), and voriconazole (Vfend)
• Antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol) and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
• Antiviral medicines such as ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (Harvoni) and sofosbuvir (Sovaldi)
• Aprepitant (Emend)
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• Barbiturates such as butabarbital (Butisol), pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital, and secobarbital (Seconal)
• Bosentan (Tracleer)
• Cimetidine (Tagamet)
• Clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo)
• Conivaptan (Vaprisol)
• Cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune)
• Dexamethasone
• Digoxin (Lanoxin)
• Dipyridamole (Persantine)
• Heart medicines such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), carvedilol (Coreg), diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Tiazac), dronedarone (Multaq), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat CC, Procardia), quinidine, ranolazine (Ranexa), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan)
• HIV medicines such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), efavirenz (Sustiva), elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir (Stribild), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), nelfinavir (Viracept), nevirapine (Viramune), ritonavir (Norvir), and saquinavir (Invirase)
• Natural remedies such as echinacea and St. John's wort
• Nefazodone
• Other cancer medicines such as asparaginase, cisplatin, imatinib (Gleevec), mitomycin, nilotinib (Tasigna), and tamoxifen
• Propranolol (Hemangeol, Inderal, InnoPran)
• Tacrolimus (Astagraf, Prograf, Protopic)
• Vaccines
• Warfarin (Coumadin)

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.