Uses of undefined

Cytarabine is a prescription drug and it is used alone or with other chemotherapy medications to treat certain types of leukemias (a type of blood cancer with too many white blood cells), including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). It is also indicated to use alone or with other chemotherapy drugs to treat and prevent meningeal leukemia (cancer in the membrane that covers and protects the spinal cord and brain).

undefined Drug administaration and Dosage available

A trained healthcare professional will give you Cytarabine in a hospital setting. It is available as an injection for solution. This medicine may be given by solution for injection/infusion (using a syringe) under the skin (subcutaneous) or into a vein (intravenously) or into a muscle (intramuscularly), or into the spine (intrathecal). Your doctor will decide the dose, route of administration, and duration of the treatment based on your disease condition, severity, and other factors. 

Warnings, Precautions and Side Effects of undefined

Warnings

This medicine may cause neurotoxicity. Inform your physician if you have any symptoms of speech difficulties or body coordination problems. eye problems, numbness, or pain in the hands and feet. Cytarabine can cause embryo-fetal toxicity; notify your physician if you are pregnant, suspecting, or planning for pregnancy. If you have any problems with your liver. If your liver is not working well before treatment, cytarabine should be given only under strict medical supervision. 

Precautions

Inform your physician if you have difficulties in body coordination, or taking any other anti-cancer medications, decreased bone marrow functioning, have liver problems, or have undergone dialysis immediately before or after treatment with this medicine. Use effective contraceptives during the treatment to prevent pregnancy. Female patients with reproductive potential should use effective contraception during the therapy and at least 6 months after completion. Your healthcare professional may advise you to take certain blood tests to monitor the effectiveness and side effects of the therapy. Inform your physician about all the medicines that you taking or have taken before, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter medications, nutritional or vitamin supplements, and herbal products. 

Side Effects

The common side effects of cytarabine are fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, swallowing difficulties, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, inflammation or ulceration in the mouth or anus, high blood uric acid levels, hair loss, skin rashes, speaking difficulties, and inflammation in the vein. Other serious side effects include skin swelling and irritation, increased blood uric acid levels, blisters of the skin, irregular heartbeat, lung diseases, anemia, infection, and kidney problems. 

Word Of Advice

During the treatment with cytarabine, the administration of vaccines is not advised. If required, consult your doctor. This medicine may cause infertility in men and women. Inform your physician if you have ulcers or bleeding in the stomach or intestines.  This medicine may make you bleed or bruise easily; take precautions to prevent the illness. Store cytarabine at room temperature (25°C)

Frequently Asked Question

• What should I monitor when taking cytarabine?
• Cytarabine may cause neurological problems, monitor for speech disturbances, eye problems, and coordination problems. Inform your physician if you have noticed any of these problems.

• What if I overdose cytarabine?
• High doses of cytarabine can worsen side effects like sores in the mouth or may decrease the number of WBC and platelets in the blood, damages to nerves, severe lung problems, heart problems. Inform your physician if you experience any of the symptoms. 

• Is cytarabine toxic to the liver?
• The safety of cytarabine to the liver has not been well established. The drug may cause a few liver-related side effects. Inform your physician if you have liver diseases before initiating the treatment. 

• Should I have to refrigerate cytarabine?
• No, do not refrigerate or freeze cytarabine. The injection should be stored in room temperature 20°C to 25°C. 

• Is cytarabine toxic to the brain?
• Intravenous administration of cytarabine can cause peripheral neuropathy. Inform your physician if you have any symptoms of pain, numbness or weakness in the hands and feet, digestive and urination problems.