Irinotecan (Systemic)

Brand name(s): Camptosar

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 irinotecan, the following should be considered:

Allergies-Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to irinotecan. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances.

Pregnancy-Irinotecan may cause harm to the fetus when given during pregnancy. There are no adequate and well controlled studies in pregnant women. However, this medicine may be needed in serious diseases or other situations that threaten the mother's life. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Women who are able to bear children should use some kind of birth control during treatment with irinotecan.

Before receiving this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant.

Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving irinotecan.

Breast-feeding-It is not known whether irinotecan passes into breast milk. However, irinotecan is not recommended during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children-There is no specific information comparing use of irinotecan in children with use in other age groups. However, one study had to be discontinued due to serious unwanted effects in children.

Older adults-Patients greater than 65 years of age may be at an increased risk for severe diarrhea.

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 irinotecan, 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
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon alfa (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) or
• If you have ever been treated with radiation or other cancer medicines-The risk of dangerously low blood counts may be increased

• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chlorambucil (e.g., Leukeran) or
• Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicine) or
• Cyclophosphamide (e.g., Cytoxan) or
• Cyclosporine (e.g., Sandimmune) or
• Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
• Muromonab-CD3 (monoclonal antibody) (e.g., Orthoclone OKT3) or
• Mycophenolate (e.g., CellCept) or
• Tacrolimus (e.g., Prograf)-The risk of infection may be increased because these medicines and irinotecan can all decrease your body's resistance to infection

• Diuretics (water pills)-There may be an increased risk of serious problems caused by loss of body fluid if severe diarrhea or vomiting occurs during irinotecan treatment

• Laxatives-Use of laxatives together with irinotecan may increase the risk of severe diarrhea

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

• Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
• Herpes zoster (shingles)-Irinotecan may cause these conditions to get worse and spread to other parts of your body.

• Infection-Irinotecan may decrease your body's ability to fight an infection

• Liver disease-The risk of dangerously low white blood cell counts may be increased.

• Lung disease-An unusual side effect consisting of fever and of shortness of breath and other problems with the lungs has occurred, very rarely, in some people with lung disease who received irinotecan.

Last Revised: 10/28/2004