Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Vincasar PFS there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Vincasar PFS.
Vincasar PFS affects cells that are in the process of growing and dividing. Cancer cells grow and divide faster than other cells in the body, but unfortunately the normal cells in the body that grow and divide on a regular basis are affected as well, which causes the seemingly familiar chemotherapeutic side effects of hair loss (hair follicle cells), nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea. Patients may also experience constipation, cramping, weight loss, changes in taste and appetite, mouth sores, and anemia. Peripheral neuropathy, as mentioned above, is uncommon but very serious, with patients starting out feeling decreased sensation and numbness in the hands and feet, but may progress to difficulty walking.
The side effects listed below are serious and need to be told to your doctor about within 24 hours of noticing them: vomiting more than four to five times in a day, diarrhea more than four to five times in a day, constipation, strange bleeding or bruising, bone pain, severe abdominal pain, sores on the lips or mouth, blood in the urine or stool (this can look like black or tarry stools)
Always tell your doctor what other prescription medications, nonprescription medications, vitamins, or nutritional supplements you are currently taking or plan to start taking during the course of a new medication. Do not take aspirin unless your doctor tells you it is okay.
It is extremely important that the intravenous needle delivering Vincasar be properly positioned in the vein. If it is not, the drug can cause serious blistering and damage to the surrounding tissue. If you notice irritation, swelling, or redness at the IV site, notify your doctor or nurse immediately.
People who have to get repeated doses of Vincasar may feel symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (tingling sensation and numbness in the fingers and toes), this needs to be reported to your doctor immediately.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning on becoming before starting Vincasar. It can cause birth defects for the baby if you are already pregnant. Both men and women should not plan on conceiving a child while on Vincasar. Your doctor can tell you when it will be safe to do so after treatment.
Do not breast feed a child while on Vincasar.
People with Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome should not be given Vincasar.
Vincasar PFS injection should be administered by individuals experienced in the administration of vincristine sulfate.
Caution – It is extremely important that the intravenous needle of catheter be properly positioned before any vincristine is injected. Leakeage into surrounding tissue during intravenous administration of Vincasar PFS may cause considerable irritation. If extravasation occurs, the injection should be discontinued immediately, and any remaining portion of the dose should then be introduced into another vein. Local injection of hyaluronidase and the application of moderate heat to the area of leakage help disperse the drug and are thought to minimize discomfort and the possibility of cellulites.
FATAL IF GIVEN INTRATHECALLY. FOR INTRAVENOUS USE ONLY.
WARNINGS
Caution–This preparation should be administered by individuals experienced in the administration of Vincristine Sulfate Injection, USP. It is extremely important that the intravenous needle or catheter be properly positioned before any vincristine is injected. Leakage into surrounding tissue during intravenous administration of Vincristine Sulfate Injection, USP may cause considerable irritation. If extravasation occurs, the injection should be discontinued immediately, and any remaining portion of the dose should then be introduced into another vein. Local injection of hyaluronidase and the application of moderate heat to the area of leakage help disperse the drug and are thought to minimize discomfort and the possibility of cellulitis.
FOR INTRAVENOUS USE ONLY – FATAL IF GIVEN BY OTHER ROUTES.
Vincasar PFS is generally given as an injection. Your doctor will choose the correct dosage for your situation and in most cases will give the injection in his or her office.
If you have any questions concerning the dosage or usage of Vincasar PFS contact your healthcare provider.
GENERIC NAME: Vincristine, Vincristine sulfate
TRADE NAMES: Vincasar Pfs, Oncovin
In case of overdose, contact your local poison control center or emergency medical services.
Because Vincasar PFS is given through an IV, overdoses are rare, however they have occurred and should be dealt with immediately.
Side effects following the use of Vincasar PFS are dose related. In pediatric patients under 13 years of age, death has occurred following doses that were 10 times those recommended for therapy. Severe symptoms may occur in this patient group following dosages of 3 to 4 mg/m2. Adults can be expected to experience severe symptoms after single doses of 3 mg/m2 or more.
There are no published clinical data on the consequences of oral ingestion of Vincasar. Should oral ingestion occur, the stomach should be evacuated. Evacuation should be followed by oral administration of activated charcoal and a cathartic.
The usual dose of Vincasar PFS for pediatric patients is 1.5 to 2 mg/m2. For pediatric patients weighing 10 kg or less, the starting dose should be 0.05 mg/kg, administered once a week. The usual dose of Vincasar PFS for adults is 1.4 mg/m2. A 50% reduction in the dose of Vincasar PFS is recommended for patients having a direct serum bilirubin value above 3 mg/100 mL.
Vincasar PFS should not be given to patients while they are receiving radiation therapy through ports that include the liver. When Vincasar PFS is used in combination with L-asparaginase, Vincasar PFS should be given 12 to 24 hours before administration of the enzyme in order to minimize toxicity; administering L-asparaginase before Vincasar PFS may reduce hepatic clearance of vincristine.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Vincasar PFS may harm your unborn baby.
Vincasar PFS is for intravenous use only. Your doctor will choose the correct dosage for your situation and in most cases will give the injection in his or her office or clinic.
If you have any questions concerning the dosage or usage of Vincasar PFS contact your healthcare provider.
Vincasar PFS has been use to treat (as a part of a multi-drug regimen) non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), Wilms’ tumor (a form of pediatric kidney cancer), rhabdomyosarcoma, and neuroblastoma. It has also been used in non-oncologic settings as treatment for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
GENERIC NAME: Vincristine, Vincristine sulfate
TRADE NAME: Vincasar Pfs, Oncovin
People on Vincristine should try to drink lots of water, unless they are told not to, to help prevent constipation and dehydration.
Good diet and nutrition will be helpful, as well as eating foods that will help reduce the effects of diarrhea.
People on Vincristine may be at risk of infections, so avoiding crowds or other people with contagious illnesses may help. Always maintain good hygiene and wash hands often.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Vincasar PFS is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- phenytoin (Dilantin)
- itraconazole
- aspirin
This is not a complete list of Vincasar PFS drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Keep all scheduled appointments with your doctor as well as all laboratory appointments. This medicine may cause a decrease of blood cells. Your doctor may order tests before, during and after your treatment to monitor this side effect.
Drink lots of water while receiving Vincasar PFS treatments, unless you are told not to, to help prevent constipation and dehydration.
Good diet and nutrition will be helpful, as well as eating foods that will help reduce the effects of diarrhea.
People on Vincasar PFS may be at risk of infections, so avoiding crowds or other people with contagious illnesses may help. Always maintain good hygiene and wash hands often.
Vincasar PFS is an intravenously delivered chemotherapy drug in class called vinca alkaloids. It works by preventing cancer cells from properly dividing.
Always tell your doctor what other prescription medications, nonprescription medications, vitamins, or nutritional supplements you are currently taking or plan to start taking during the course of a new medication. Do not take aspirin unless your doctor tells you it is okay. Do not receive vaccinations without talking to your doctor first.
It is extremely important that the intravenous needle delivering Vincasar be properly positioned in the vein. If it is not, the drug can cause serious blistering and damage to the surrounding tissue. If you notice irritation, swelling, or redness at the IV site, notify your doctor or nurse immediately.
People who have to get repeated doses of Vincasar may feel symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (tingling sensation and numbness in the fingers and toes), this needs to be reported to your doctor immediately.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning on becoming before starting Vincasar. It can cause birth defects for the baby if you are already pregnant. Both men and women should not plan on conceiving a child while on Vincasar. Your doctor can tell you when it will be safe to do so after treatment.
Do not breast feed a child while on Vincasar.
People with Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome should not be given Vincasar.
Before receiving this medication, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Vincasar PFS
- you have heart, liver, nerve or muscle disease
- you are pregnant or breastfeeding
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Vincasar PFS has been use in combination with other medicines to treat the following cancers: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), Wilms’ tumor (a form of pediatric kidney cancer), rhabdomyosarcoma, and neuroblastoma. It has also been used in the treatment of the following blood disorders: thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.