What is this medicine?
VINCRISTINE (vin KRIS teen) is a chemotherapy drug. It slows the growth of cancer cells. This medicine is used to treat many types of cancer like Hodgkin's disease, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, neuroblastoma (brain cancer), rhabdomyosarcoma, and Wilms' tumor.
This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
Back to Top
What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:
- allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
- breathing problems
- confusion or changes in emotions or moods
- constipation
- cough
- mouth sores
- muscle weakness
- nausea and vomiting
- pain, swelling, redness or irritation at the injection site
- pain, tingling, numbness in the hands or feet
- problems with balance, talking, walking
- seizures
- stomach pain
- trouble passing urine or change in the amount of urine
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
- diarrhea
- hair loss
- jaw pain
- loss of appetite
This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Back to Top
How should I use this medicine?
This drug is given as an infusion into a vein. It is administered in a hospital or clinic by a specially trained health care professional. If you have pain, swelling, burning, or any unusual feeling around the site of your injection, tell your health care professional right away.
Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.
Back to Top
What if I miss a dose?
It is important not to miss your dose. Call your doctor or health care professional if you are unable to keep an appointment.
Back to Top
What may interact with this medicine?
Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
- itraconazole
- mibefradil
- voriconazole
This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
- cyclosporine
- erythromycin
- fluconazole
- ketoconazole
- medicines for HIV like delavirdine, efavirenz, nevirapine
- medicines for seizures like ethotoin, fosphenotoin, phenytoin
- medicines to increase blood counts like filgrastim, pegfilgrastim, sargramostim
- other chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin, L-asparaginase, methotrexate, mitomycin, paclitaxel
- pegaspargase
- vaccines
- zalcitabine, ddC
Talk to your doctor or health care professional before taking any of these medicines:
- acetaminophen
- aspirin
- ibuprofen
- ketoprofen
- naproxen
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
Back to Top
Who should NOT use this medication?
- Demyelinating form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome.
Back to Top
What should I watch for while using this medicine?
Your condition will be monitored carefully while you are receiving this medicine. You will need important blood work done while you are taking this medicine.
This drug may make you feel generally unwell. This is not uncommon, as chemotherapy can affect healthy cells as well as cancer cells. Report any side effects. Continue your course of treatment even though you feel ill unless your doctor tells you to stop.
In some cases, you may be given additional medicines to help with side effects. Follow all directions for their use.
Call your doctor or health care professional for advice if you get a fever, chills or sore throat, or other symptoms of a cold or flu. Do not treat yourself.
Avoid taking products that contain aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or ketoprofen unless instructed by your doctor. These medicines may hide a fever.
Do not become pregnant while taking this medicine. Women should inform their doctor if they wish to become pregnant or think they might be pregnant. There is a potential for serious side effects to an unborn child. Talk to your health care professional or pharmacist for more information. Do not breast-feed an infant while taking this medicine.
Men may have a lower sperm count while taking this medicine. Talk to your doctor if you plan to father a child.
Back to Top
What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
- blood disorders
- gout
- infection (especially chickenpox, cold sores, or herpes)
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- lung disease
- nervous system disease like Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT)
- recent or ongoing radiation therapy
- an unusual or allergic reaction to vincristine, other chemotherapy agents, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
- pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- breast-feeding
Back to Top
Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.
Back to Top
I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.
Back to Top
Where can I get more information?
More Information
Back to Top
FDA Alerts
Drug Info Tools
