How is cytarabine administered in the treatment of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia?
In the induction therapy of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia, the usual Cytarabine dose in combination with other anticancer drugs is 100 mg/m2/day by continuous IV infusion (Days 1 to 7) or 100 mg/m2 IV every 12 hours (Days 1 to 7).
Is cytarabine used to treat cancer?
Use in Cancer. It is given as intrathecal therapy. Cytarabine is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Cytarabine is also available in a different form called cytarabine liposome. For more information, see the Drug Information Summary for Cytarabine Liposome.
How is cytarabine monitored in patients with bone marrow disorders?
Patients receiving Cytarabine must be monitored closely. Frequent platelet and leucocyte counts and bone marrow examinations are mandatory. Consider suspending or modifying therapy when drug-induced marrow depression has resulted in a platelet count under 50,000 or a polymorphonuclear granulocyte count under 1,000/mm 3.
How does cytarabine kill cells in culture?
Cell Culture Studies. Cytarabine is cytotoxic to a wide variety of proliferating mammalian cells in culture. It exhibits cell phase specificity, primarily killing cells undergoing DNA synthesis (S-phase) and under certain conditions blocking the progression of cells from the G1 phase to the S-phase.
Indications and Usage
Cytarabine is FDA approved to prevent and treat leukemia that has spread to the meninges (the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord). It is also FDA approved for use with other drugs to treat acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia.
Side effects needing medical attention
Fever, chills; sore throat; unusual bleeding or bruising; side or stomach pain; joint pain; numbness or tingling in fingers, toes or face; sores in mouth and on lips; swelling of feet and lower legs; tiredness; black, tarry stools; bone or muscle pain; chest pain; cough; difficulty in swallowing; fainting spells; general feeling of body discomfort or weakness; heartburn; irregular heartbeat; pain at the place of injection; reddened eyes; shortness of breath; rash; unusual decrease in urination or painful or difficult urination; yellowing of eyes and skin; lower back pain; pinhead-sized red spots on skin; loss of appetite; nausea and vomiting; dizziness; headache; itching; skin freckling..
What is cytarabine used for?
What is cytarabine? Cytarabine is used together with other cancer drugs to treat certain types of leukemia (blood cancers). Cytarabine is also used to treat or prevent leukemia associated with meningitis. Cytarabine will not treat a meningitis infection.
How long does cytarabine last?
A healthcare provider will give you this injection. Cytarabine is usually given for only a few days at a time. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
Does cytarabine cause bruising?
Cytarabine can increase your risk of bleeding or infection. Call your doctor if you have unusual bruising or bleeding, or new signs of infection (fever, chills, body aches). Cytarabine can cause serious side effects on your brain or central nervous system that may not be reversible. Tell your doctor if you have feel confused or have any unusual ...
Can cytarabine cause drowsiness?
Cytarabine can cause serious side effects on your brain or central nervous system that may not be reversible. Cytarabine is usually given together with steroid medicine to help lessen these side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have: severe drowsiness, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior;
Can cyclabine cause bleeding?
After receiving an injection, you will be watched closely to make sure you do not have serious side effects. Cytarabine can increase your risk of bleeding or infection. You will need frequent medical tests.
Can cytarabine harm a baby?
a head injury or brain tumor. Cytarabine may harm an unborn baby. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant.
What is the toxic effect of Cytarabine?
The main toxic effect of Cytarabine is bone marrow suppression with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia.
What is cytotarabine metabolized by?
Cytarabine is metabolized by deoxycytidine kinase and other nucleotide kinases to the nucleotide triphosphate, an effective inhibitor of DNA polymerase; it is inactivated by a pyrimidine nucleoside deaminase, which converts it to the non-toxic uracil derivative. It appears that the balance of kinase and deaminase levels may be an important factor in determining sensitivity or resistance of the cell to Cytarabine.
How long does it take for cytotarabine to reach peak plasma levels?
After subcutaneous or intramuscular administration of Cytarabine labeled with tritium, peak-plasma levels of radioactivity are achieved about 20 to 60 minutes after injection and are considerably lower than those after intravenous administration.
How long does it take for tritium to disappear from plasma?
There is an initial distributive phase with a half-life of about 10 minutes, followed by a second elimination phase with a half-life of about 1 to 3 hours.
Is Cytarabine an anti-cancer drug?
Cytarabine Injection in combination with other approved anti-cancer drugs is indicated for remission induction in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia of adults and pediatric patients. It has also been found useful in the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia and the blast phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia.
Is Cytarabine low in blood?
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of Cytarabine are low in comparison to plasma levels after single intravenous injection. However, in one patient in whom cerebrospinal fluid levels are examined after 2 hours of constant intravenous infusion, levels approached 40 percent of the steady state plasma level.
Does deoxycytidine reverse cytotoxic activity?
Deoxycytidine prevents or delays (but does not reverse) the cytotoxic activity.
How much Cytarabine is used for AML?
1 It was initially used in remission-induction therapy at a dose of 100 to 200 mg per square meter of body-surface area.
Is cytarabine toxic?
Cytarabine (ara-C) is an important drug in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). High-dose cytarabine (2000 to 3000 mg per square meter of body-surface area) is toxic but results in higher rates of relapse-free survival than does the conventional dose of 100 to 400 mg per square meter. Intermediate dose levels have not been thoroughly ...
Is Cytarabine a high dose?
The results suggest that the antileukemic effects of cytarabine may reach a maximum at doses well below the maximum tolerated dose. Patients assigned to the high-dose cytarabine regimen received doses about nine times higher than the intermediate doses in cycle 1. In cycle 2, dose levels were doubled.
Indications and Usage
Daunorubicin and cytarabine is a liposomal combination of daunorubicin and cytarabine that is FDA approved for the treatment of adults with newly-diagnosed therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) or AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC).
Side effects needing medical attention
Common side effects of Vyxeos include bleeding events (hemorrhage), fever with low white blood cell count (febrile neutropenia), rash, swelling of the tissues (edema), nausea, inflammation of the mucous membranes (mucositis), diarrhea, constipation, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, shortness of breath (dyspnea), headache, cough, decreased appetite, abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), lung infection (pneumonia), blood infection (bacteremia), chills, sleep disorders and vomiting..
Description
- Cytarabine is approved to be used with other drugsto treat: 1. Acute non-lymphocytic leukemiain adults and children. Cytarabine is also approved to preventand treat: 1. Meningeal leukemia (leukemia that has spread to the meninges). It is given as intrathecal therapy. Cytarabine may also be used to treat: 1. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL). 2. Chr...
Clinical Pharmacology
Indications and Usage
Warnings
Precautions
- Cell Culture Studies
Cytarabine is cytotoxic to a wide variety of proliferating mammalian cells in culture. It exhibits cell phase specificity, primarily killing cells undergoing DNA synthesis (S-phase) and under certain conditions blocking the progression of cells from the G1phase to the S-phase. Although the mec… - Cellular Resistance and Sensitivity
Cytarabine is metabolized by deoxycytidine kinase and other nucleotide kinases to the nucleotide triphosphate, an effective inhibitor of DNA polymerase; it is inactivated by a pyrimidine nucleoside deaminase which converts it to the non-toxic uracil derivative. It appears that the balance of kin…
Adverse Reactions
- Cytarabine in combination with other approved anti-cancer 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 (preservati...
Infectious Complications
- (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 leukocyte and platelet counts performed daily. Bone marrow examinations should be perfo…
Overdosage
- General Precautions
Patients receiving Cytarabine must be monitored closely. Frequent platelet and leukocyte counts and bone marrow examinations are mandatory. Consider suspending or modifying therapy when drug-induced marrow depression has resulted in a platelet count under 50,000 or a polymorphon… - Information for patient
Not applicable.
Dosage and Administration
- 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 i…
References
- 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 inf… - The Cytarabine 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 bene…