Chemotherapy Drug Information
<< BackVinorelbine
Your doctor has ordered the drug vinorelbine to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein. Vinorelbine 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 vinorelbine,
- Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease.
- You should know that vinorelbine 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. Vinorelbine may harm the fetus.
- Do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.
Side effects from vinorelbine are common and include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- thinned or brittle hair
- constipation
- diarrhea
- fatigue
- sore throat or mouth pain
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- redness, pain, or swelling at the site where the injection was given
- fever
- chills
- shortness of breath
- cough
- abnormal burning and tingling
- change in normal bowel habits for more than 2 days
- severe constipation