Etoposide Phosphate (patient information)

IMPORTANT WARNING
Etoposide phosphate can cause a decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. Your doctor will order tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if your blood cells are affected by this drug.

About your treatment
Your doctor has ordered the drug etoposide phosphate to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein.

This medication is used to treat:


 * testicular cancer
 * lung cancer

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

Etoposide phosphate is in a class of drugs known as podophyllotoxin derivatives; 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.

Other uses for this medicine
Etoposide phosphate also is used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, mycosis fungoides, Hodgkin's disease, acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, Wilms' tumor, neuroblastoma, Kaposi's sarcoma related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), gestational trophoblastic tumors, ovarian germ-cell tumors, hepatoma, Ewing's sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, brain tumors, and refractory advanced breast cancer. High doses of etoposide along with other chemotherapy drugs have been used with autologous bone marrow transplant for refractory advanced malignant neoplasms. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

Precautions
Before taking etoposide phosphate:


 * tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to etoposide phosphate or any other drugs.
 * tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially aspirin, cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), levamisole (Ergamisol), and vitamins.
 * tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart, liver, or kidney disease.
 * you should know that etoposide phosphate 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. *Etoposide phosphate may harm the fetus.
 * do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.
 * be aware that etoposide phosphate can potentially cause cancer. Talk to your doctor about the potential risk of developing a new cancer while taking this drug.

Minor side effects
Side effects from etoposide phosphate are common and include:


 * nausea and vomiting
 * loss of appetite
 * constipation
 * diarrhea
 * abdominal pain
 * changes in taste
 * thinned or brittle hair

Tell your doctor if either of these symptoms is severe or lasts for several hours:


 * fatigue
 * mouth blistering

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


 * unusual bruising or bleeding
 * dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling of faintness
 * pain at the injection site
 * persistent diarrhea or any change in normal bowel habits for more than 2 days
 * fever
 * chills
 * sore throat
 * shortness of breath
 * breathing discomfort
 * rash
 * itching

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.

Brand names

 * Etopophos®