Capecitabine

Unknown / Multiple | Capecitabine (Medication)


Desc:

Capecitabine is an orally-administered chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of metastatic breast and colorectal cancers. Capecitabine is a prodrug, that is enzymatically converted to 5-fluorouracil in the tumor, where it inhibits DNA synthesis and slows growth of tumor tissue. ...

Side Effect:

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction:hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:severe diarrhea (more than 4 times per day, or during the night); vomiting (more than once in 24 hours); nausea, loss of appetite, eating much less than usual; weakness, feeling light-headed, hot or dry skin; pain, tenderness, redness, swelling, blistering, or peeling skin on your hands or feet; fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms; swelling, white patches, or sores in your mouth or throat; jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling; sudden numbness, weakness, headache, confusion, or problems with vision, speech, or balance; or slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, slow breathing (breathing may stop).

Less serious side effects may include:stomach pain or upset, constipation; tired feeling; temporary hair loss; mild skin rash; headache, dizziness; altered sense of taste; back pain, joint or muscle pain; eye irritation. ...

Precaution:

Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to capecitabine, fluorouracil, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in capecitabine tablets.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention the medications listed in the important warning section and any of the following:phenytoin (Dilantin), leucovorin, and folic acid (in multivitamins).

Tell your doctor if you have been told that you have or ever had dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) enzyme deficiency (a lack of a naturally occurring enzyme in your body); if you have or have ever had kidney, liver, or heart disease.

If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, you should not plan to have children while you are taking capecitabine. You should use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy in yourself or your partner during your treatment with capecitabine. Capecitabine may harm the fetus. You should not breast-feed during your treatment with capecitabine. ...