Strontium-89 chloride (patient information)

About your treatment
Your doctor has ordered the drug strontium-89 chloride to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein or a catheter that has been placed in a vein.

This medication is used to:
 * relieve bone pain

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Strontium-89 chloride is in a class of drugs known as radioisotopes. It delivers radiation to cancer sites and ultimately decreases bone pain. 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.

Precautions
Before taking strontium-89 chloride:


 * tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to strontium-89 chloride or any other drugs.
 * tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially aspirin and vitamins.
 * tell your doctor if you have or have ever had bone marrow disease, blood disorders, or kidney disease.
 * you should know that strontium-89 chloride 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. Strontium-89 chloride may harm the fetus.
 * notify any health care professional (especially other doctors) giving you treatment that you will be taking strontium-89 chloride.
 * do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.

Mild side effects
Side effects from strontium-89 chloride are common and include:


 * increased pain starting 2-3 days after treatment and lasting 2-3 days
 * flushing
 * diarrhea

Tell your doctor if the following symptom is severe or lasts for several hours:


 * fatigue

Severe side effects
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:


 * unusual bruising or bleeding
 * no decrease in pain 7 days after treatment
 * fever
 * chills

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

In case of emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Special instructions
Because this medication may be present in your blood and urine for about 1 week after an injection, you should follow certain precautions during this time. Use a normal toilet instead of a urinal, if possible, and flush the toilet twice after each use. Also wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet. Wipe any spilled urine or blood with a tissue and flush the tissue away. Immediately wash any stained clothes or bed linens separately from other laundry. The most common side effect of strontium-89 chloride is a decrease of blood cells. Your doctor may order tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if your blood cells are affected by the drug.

Brand names

 * Metastron®