Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Vinblastine Sulphate Injection
What is Vinblastine Sulphate Injection used for?
Vinblastine Sulphate Injection is used in the treatment of cancers of the:
- lymph nodes
- spleen
- bone marrow
- testicles
- ovaries
- skin
- breast
- placenta
It may be given alone or in combination with other anti-cancer medicines.
How does Vinblastine Sulphate Injection work?
Vinblastine sulphate Injection belongs to a group of medicines called antineoplastics or cytotoxics.
The medicinal ingredient, vinblastine sulphate, is a vinca alkaloid which is an anti-cancer medicine. Treatment with an anti-cancer medicine is sometimes called cancer chemotherapy.
Vinblastine Sulphate Injection works by interfering with the growth and proliferation of cancer cells and ultimately leading to their destruction.
What are the ingredients in Vinblastine Sulphate Injection?
Medicinal ingredients: vinblastine sulphate.
Non-medicinal ingredients: sodium chloride and water for injection.
Vinblastine Sulphate Injection comes in the following dosage forms:
Solution; 1 mg / mL
Do not use Vinblastine Sulphate Injection if:
your blood tests show that you do not have enough white blood cells to fight infection
(unless this is a result of your condition being treated).
- you have a bacterial infection which is not under control.
- you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, plan to become pregnant or father a child. Vinblastine Sulphate Injection may cause birth defects if either the male or the female partner is undergoing treatment at the time of conception.
you are allergic to vinblastine sulphate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine
(see What are the ingredients in Vinblastine Sulphate Injection?).
To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take Vinblastine Sulphate Injection. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
- are given daily low doses of Vinblastine Sulphate Injection for prolonged periods.
- have ever had leukemia or undergone radiation therapy.
- are given other agents known to be harmful to the ears or auditory system.
- have an abnormal blood cell count.
- have liver disease, including inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) or yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice) or loss of appetite.
- are also being treated with mitomycin, another anti-cancer medicine. The combination with Vinblastine Sulphate Injection can cause serious breathing problems leading to death.
- are an elderly patient in poor health or with skin sores.
Other warnings you should know about:
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding:
Female patients:
You should not get pregnant while you are being treated with Vinblastine Sulphate
Injection.
- You must use effective birth control during treatment and for at least 7 months after treatment.
- Talk to your healthcare professional immediately if you become pregnant while being treated with Vinblastine Sulphate Injection or within 7 months of your last dose.
- It is not known if Vinblastine Sulphate Injection passes into breastmilk. You should not breastfeed while you are being treated with Vinblastine Sulphate Injection and for 1 week after your last dose. Talk to your healthcare professionals about other ways to feed your baby during this time.
Male patients:
- You must use effective birth control during treatment and for at least 4 months after treatment if you have a female partner that could become pregnant.
- Talk to your healthcare professional immediately if your female partner becomes pregnant while you are being treated with Vinblastine Sulphate Injection or within 4 months of your last dose.
Fertility: Vinblastine Sulphate Injection can affect fertility in both male and female patients. It can reduce the production and motility of semen in men. It can cause an absence of periods in women. Talk to your healthcare professional about ways to preserve your fertility before you start treatment with Vinblastine Sulphate Injection.
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
The following may interact with Vinblastine Sulphate Injection:
The use of mitomycin with or without progesterone (anti-cancer medicines) with
Vinblastine Sulphate Injection may cause severe breathing problems especially if you have a pre-existing heart condition.
- Vinblastine Sulphate Injection may reduce the effectiveness of medicines used to treat epilepsy, in particular, blood levels of phenytoin may need to be monitored more frequently.
- The use of medicines that slow down the breakdown of drugs by the liver, particularly those affecting the enzyme CYP 3A, requires caution, especially if you have liver problems. When Vinblastine Sulphate Injection is taken with such medicines, there is a risk of nerve damage.
- The use of Vinblastine Sulphate Injection alongside other medicines known to cause ear or hearing problems, such as platinum-containing cancer treatments, requires special care and attention.
The use of bleomycin or cisplatin (anti-cancer medicines) with Vinblastine Sulphate
Injection may cause heart and circulation problems, worsening of low white blood cell counts, decrease in kidney function, nervous system problems, hearing problems, impaired balance and changes to sperm motility.
The use of erythromycin (antibiotic) may increase the side effects of Vinblastine Sulphate
Injection such as low levels of white blood cells, muscle pain and constipation.
How to take Vinblastine Sulphate Injection:
- Vinblastine Sulphate Injection should only be prescribed by a healthcare professional who is experienced with the use of anti-cancer medicines.
- Vinblastine Sulphate Injection will be given to you by a healthcare professional in a healthcare setting.
This medicine will only be given into a vein. It is given by an infusion (drip) or an injection
(using a syringe).
- Vinblastine Sulphate Injection is an irritant. If it accidentally gets into your eyes, tell your healthcare professional immediately so that it may be washed out.
- Your healthcare professional will do blood tests once or twice weekly while you are being treated with Vinblastine Sulphate Injection and will adjust your dose or stop treatment, if needed, based on the results.
Usual dose:
Your healthcare professional will decide on the dose of Vinblastine Sulphate Injection that is right for you and how often it must be given.
Your dose will depend on your medical condition, your size and how well your liver is working. Your healthcare professional will see how well your liver is working using a blood test. If your liver is not working properly the dose may be reduced.
Vinblastine Sulphate Injection is usually given once a week.
Overdose:
It is unlikely that you will receive too much Vinblastine Sulphate Injection as you will be closely monitored by your healthcare professionals during your injection.
If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have been given too much Vinblastine Sulphate Injection, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, regional poison control centre or Health Canada’s toll-free number, 1-844 POISON-X (1-844-764-7669) immediately, even if there are no symptoms.
Missed Dose:
If you forget to go back for your next dose at the scheduled time, talk to your healthcare professional.
What are possible side effects from using Vinblastine Sulphate Injection?
These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking Vinblastine Sulphate Injection. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.
Side effects may include:
- Blistering of the skin, skin ulcers
- Mouth ulcers
- Sore throat
- Significant weight loss/loss of appetite
- Dizziness
- Numbness or tingling in fingers and toes (“pins and needles”)
- Stomach cramps, constipation or diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting (feeling or being sick)
- Pain in the chest, jaw, bones or where the tumor is
- Headache
- Difficulty with balance
- Uncontrolled movements of the eyes
- Shortness of breath, wheezing
- Dry cough
- Weakness
- Tiredness and generally feeling unwell
- Hair loss
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare | Get immediate medical help | |||||
| professional | |||||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||||||
| UNKNOWN FREQUENCY | |||||||
| Depression (sad mood that won’t go away): difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, changes in appetite or weight, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, regret, helplessness or hopelessness, withdrawal from social situations, family, gatherings and activities with friends, reduced libido (sex drive) and thoughts of death or suicide | √ | ||||||
| Gastrointestinal problems: stomach pain, blood in the stool, rectal bleeding | √ | ||||||
| Hearing problems: ear pain, hearing loss | √ | ||||||
| Hypertension (high blood pressure): shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness or fainting, chest pain or pressure, swelling in your ankles and legs, bluish colour to your lips and skin, racing pulse or heart palpitations | √ | ||||||
| Injection site reaction: blistering, itching, pain, redness, severe skin damage, tenderness, warmth in the area around the injection | √ | ||||||
| Leukopenia (low white blood cells): signs of infection such as a sore throat and high temperature, fatigue, aches and flu-like symptoms | √ | ||||||
| Liver problems: yellowing of your skin and eyes (jaundice), right upper stomach area pain or | √ | ||||||
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare | Get immediate medical help | |||||
| professional | |||||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||||||
| swelling, nausea or vomiting, unusual dark urine, pale stool, unusual tiredness | |||||||
| Myelosuppression (decrease in bone marrow function which can affect the production of blood cells) | √ | ||||||
Myocardial infarction (heart attack): pressure or squeezing pain between the shoulder blades, in the chest, jaw, left arm or upper abdomen, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, light- headedness, clammy skin, sweating, indigestion, anxiety, feeling faint, irregular heartbeat | √ | ||||||
| Neurotoxicity (damage to the nervous system): agitation, blurred vision, confusion, convulsions, difficulty speaking, dizziness, hallucinations, headache, impaired thinking, loss of control of body movements, loss of tendon reflexes, memory loss, mental status changes, nervousness, numbness and tingling, vision loss, muscle weakness, seizures | √ | ||||||
| Seizures (fit): uncontrollable shaking with or without loss of consciousness | √ | ||||||
Stroke (bleeding or blood clot in the brain): sudden numbness, weakness or tingling of the face, arm, or leg, particularly on one side of the body, sudden headache, blurry vision, difficulty swallowing or speaking, lethargy, dizziness, fainting, vomiting, | √ | ||||||
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare | Get immediate medical help | |||||
| professional | |||||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||||||
| trouble understanding, trouble with walking and loss of balance | |||||||
If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.
Reporting Side Effects
| You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health | ||
| Canada by: | ||
| ||
| (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medeffect- | ||
| canada/adverse-reaction-reporting.html) for information on how to report online, by | ||
| mail or by fax; or | ||
| ||
NOTE: Contact your healthcare professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.
Storage:
- Vinblastine Sulphate Injection will be stored at the hospital by your healthcare professional.
- Vinblastine Sulphate Injection should be stored at 2 - 8°C. Protect from light and freezing.
- Keep vial in outer carton. Each vial is sleeved with a transparent colourless PVC Sheath.
- Single use vials. Discard unused portion.
- Vials should be used immediately when removed from the carton and opened.
If you want more information about Vinblastine Sulphate Injection:
- Talk to your healthcare professional.
- Find the full Product Monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada website (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html); the manufacturer’s website http://www.tevacanada.com; or by calling 1-800-268-4127 ext. 3; or email druginfo@tevacanada.com.