Chemotherapy Drug Information
<< BackVincristine
Your doctor has ordered the drug vincristine to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein. Vincristine when administered into a vein may leak into surrounding tissue. Your doctor or nurse will monitor your administration site for this reaction.
Vincristine is in a class of drugs known as vinca alkaloids. It slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.
Before taking vincristine,
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially aspirin, itraconazole (Sporanox), and vitamins.
- Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart, liver, nerve, or muscle disease.
- Tell your doctor if you are currently receiving radiation therapy.
- You should know that vincristine may interfere with the normal menstrual cycle (period) in women and may stop sperm production in men. However, you should not assume that you cannot get pregnant or that you cannot get someone else pregnant. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should tell their doctors before they begin taking this drug. You should not plan to have children while receiving chemotherapy or for a while after treatments. (Talk to your doctor for further details.) Use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Vincristine may harm the fetus.
- Do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.
Side effects from vincristine are common and include:
- nausea and vomiting
- stomach pain and cramps
- constipation
- diarrhea
- jaw pain, headache, or other aches
- thinned or brittle hair
- fatigue
- mouth blistering
- tingling, numbness, and cramping in the legs or arms for longer than a few days
- abdominal or muscle cramping
- difficulty walking
- change in normal bowel habits for more than 2 days
- swelling of the feet and ankles
- redness, pain, or swelling at the injection site