Vindesine - Intravenous

Vindesine is used on its own or together with other medicines to treat certain types of blood cancer in adults or children.

This medicine is also used on its own or together with other medicines to treat a certain type of cancer of the skin or the breast in adult individuals who do not respond to previous therapy.

Vindesine may also be used to treat other conditions as decided by your doctor.

Vindesine is to be given intravenously (into the vein) as an injection or infusion. It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.

Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.

The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the course of treatment depending on your condition and your response to the medication.

Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any doses. Your doctor also needs to regularly monitor your response to Vindesine.

If you miss an appointment or miss an injection, alert your doctor or nurse. A replacement appointment or injection should be given as soon as possible.

Alert your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome (an inherited disorder that affects the nerves usually in the hands or feet, causing muscle weakness or numbness)
• severely low white blood cell count in the body
• severe thrombocytopenia (lower than normal platelet counts in the blood)
• severe bacterial infection

as Vindesine may not be suitable for you.

Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:

• nerve and muscle problems
• liver disease
• currently undergoing radiation therapy that includes the liver

Let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

It is important that you do not get pregnant while being treated with Vindesine. Men with female partners of childbearing potential must use proven birth control methods during therapy with this medicine. You may wish to discuss birth control methods with your doctor or pharmacist.

Be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving Vindesine to a child. Children may be more sensitive to the side effects.

Why is it important to keep my appointments with the doctor?

Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.

• Routine tests (e.g. complete blood count, liver function) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
• Regular monitoring for signs of infection and injection/infusion site reactions may also be needed.

Vindesine may cause any of the following side effects: headache, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion, mouth sores, difficulty swallowing, muscle pain, weakness, chills, fever, loss of appetite, and skin rash.

Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:

• numbness or tingling sensation in the hands and feet, jaw pain, fits or seizures
• shortness of breath or severe breathing problem
• severe constipation or stomach pain
• severe pain, irritation or swelling at the injection/infusion site

This medicine may cause the level of white blood cells and platelets to drop.

White blood cells help your body to fight infections. A fall in the level of your white blood cells may put you at higher risk for infections, such as coughs, colds and flu, which may lead to more serious infections. Avoid crowded places and people who are sick. Inform your doctor if you have a fever, cough, or flu that does not go away.

Platelets help your blood to clot when there is a cut in the skin. A fall in the level of your platelets may put you at risk of bleeding more than usual. Do not take part in activities where you may fall or get injured, such as contact sports. Inform your doctor if you get any unusual bruising (large bruises or several bruises, especially if the bruises appeared on their own) or bleeding that takes a long time to stop (for example, too much bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth).

Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.

Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or using any of these medicines:

• other medicines for cancer e.g. mitomycin
• phenytoin (medicine for epilepsy [fits or seizures])

This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Vindesine.

Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.

Avoid alcohol.

Store in the refrigerator, between 2-8°C.

Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.

As Vindesine is a cancer medicine, always return any unused or expired medicine to the clinic, hospital, or pharmacy for disposal. Do not throw it away in the household waste.