Cytarzer Injection

Cytarabine Injection in combination with other approved anticancer drugs is indicated for remission induction in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia of adults and children. It has also been found useful in the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia and the blast phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia. Intrathecal administration of Cytarabine Injection is indicated in the prophylaxis and treatment of meningeal leukemia.

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Source: US FDA prescribing information, via openFDA. Provided for general information only — it is not a substitute for your doctor's or pharmacist's advice. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.

Boxed warning. Only physicians experienced in cancer chemotherapy should use Cytarabine. For induction therapy patients should be treated in a facility with laboratory and supportive resources sufficient to monitor drug tolerance and protect and maintain a patient compromised by drug toxicity. The main toxic effect of Cytarabine is bone marrow suppression with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia. Less serious toxicity includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, oral ulceration, and hepatic dysfunction. The physician must judge possible benefit to the patient against known toxic effects of this drug in considering the advisability of therapy with Cytarabine. Before making this judgment or beginning treatment, the physician should be familiar with the following text. ( See boxed WARNING ) Cytarabine is a potent bone marrow suppressant. Therapy should be started cautiously in patients with pre-existing drug-induced bone marrow suppression. Patients receiving this drug must be under close medical supervision and, during induction therapy, should have leucocyte and platelet counts performed daily. Bone marrow examinations should be performed frequently after blasts have disappeared from the peripheral blood. Facilities should be available for management of complications, possibly fatal, of bone marrow suppression (infection resulting from granulocytopenia and other impaired body defenses, and hemorrhage secondary to thrombocytopenia). One case of anaphylaxis that resulted in acute cardiopulmonary arrest and required resuscitation has been reported. This occurred immediately after the intravenous administration of Cytarabine. Severe and at times fatal CNS, GI and pulmonary toxicity (different from that seen with conventional therapy regimens of Cytarabine) has been reported following some experimental Cytarabine dose schedules. These reactions include reversible corneal toxicity, and hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, which may be prevented or diminished by prophylaxis with a local corticosteroid eye drop; cerebral and cerebellar dysfunction, including personality changes, somnolence and coma, usually reversible; severe gastrointestinal ulceration, including pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis leading to peritonitis; sepsis and liver abscess; pulmonary edema, liver damage with increased hyperbilirubinemia; bowel necrosis; and necrotizing colitis. Rarely, severe skin rash, leading to desquamation has been reported. Complete alopecia is more commonly seen with experimental high dose therapy than with standard Cytarabine treatment programs. If experimental high dose therapy is used, do not use a diluent containing benzyl alcohol. Abridged from the full prescribing information.

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Source: US FDA prescribing information, via openFDA. Provided for general information only — it is not a substitute for your doctor's or pharmacist's advice. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.

Expected Reactions Because Cytarabine is a bone marrow suppressant, anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, megaloblastosis and reduced reticulocytes can be expected as a result of administration with Cytarabine. The severity of these reactions are dose and schedule dependent. Cellular changes in the morphology of bone marrow and peripheral smears can be expected. Following 5-day constant infusions or acute injections of 50 mg/m 2 to 600 mg/m 2, white cell depression follows a biphasic course. Regardless of initial count, dosage level, or schedule, there is an initial fall starting the first 24 hours with a nadir at days 7 to 9. This is followed by a brief rise which peaks around the twelfth day. A second and deeper fall reaches nadir at days 15 to 24. Then there is a rapid rise to above baseline in the next 10 days. Platelet depression is noticeable at 5 days with a peak depression occurring between days 12 to 15. Thereupon, a rapid rise to above baseline occurs in the next 10 days. Infectious Complications Infection Viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic, or saprophytic infections, in any location in the body may be associated with the use of Cytarabine alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive agents following immunosuppressant doses that affect cellular or humoral immunity. These infections may be mild, but can be severe and at times fatal. The Cytarabine (Ara-C) Syndrome A Cytarabine syndrome has been described by Castleberry. It is characterized by fever, myalgia, bone pain, occasionally chest pain, maculopapular rash, conjunctivitis and malaise. It usually occurs 6 to 12 hours following drug administration. Corticosteroids have been shown to be beneficial in treating or preventing this syndrome. If the symptoms of the syndrome are deemed treatable, corticosteroids should be contemplated as well as continuation of therapy with Cytarabine. Most Frequent Adverse Reactions Anorexia, hepatic dysfunction, nausea, fever, vomiting, rash, diarrhea, thrombophlebitis, oral and anal inflammation or ulceration, bleeding (all sites). Nausea and vomiting are most frequent following rapid intravenous injection. Abridged from the full prescribing information.

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Source: US FDA prescribing information, via openFDA. Provided for general information only — it is not a substitute for your doctor's or pharmacist's advice. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.