CAPECITABINE

(KAP e SYE ta been) Brand: Xeloda

What is the most significant information I must know about capecitabine?

• Capecitabine is used to treat breast cancer and colon or rectum cancer that has spread to another parts of the body.

• You must not take this medicine if you have severe kidney malady or a metabolic mess called DPD (dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase) deficiency.

• Capecitabine can have long lasting effects on your body. You may need frequent medical trials while you are using this medicine and for a short time after your treatment ends.

• Capecitabine can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. You may get an infection or bleed more easily. Call your doctor if you have unusual bruising or bleeding, or signs of infection (fever, chills, body aches).

What is capecitabine?

• Capecitabine is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their spread in the body.

• Capecitabine is used to treat breast cancer and colon or rectum cancer that has spread to another parts of the body.

• Capecitabine is often used in combination with another cancer medications and/or radiation treatments.

• Capecitabine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking capecitabine?

• You must not take this medicine if you are allergic to capecitabine or fluorouracil (Adrucil), or if you have:

· severe kidney malady; or

· a metabolic mess called DPD (dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase) deficiency.

• To create certain capecitabine is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have any of these conditions:

· kidney disease;

· liver disease;

· a history of coronary artery malady; or

· if you take a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven).

• FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use capecitabine if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

• Use birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are taking capecitabine, whether you are a man or a woman. Speak your doctor if a pregnancy occurs during treatment.

• It is not known whether capecitabine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while you are taking capecitabine.

How must I take capecitabine?

• Follow the directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.

• During the weeks when you take capecitabine, take the medicine once in the morning and once in the evening, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. You may also be given another medications as part of a combination cancer treatment.

• Capecitabine must be taken with food or within 30 minutes after eating a meal.

• Take this medicine with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

• You may need frequent medical trials at your doctor's office to be certain this medicine is not causing deleterious effects. Your cancer treatments may be delayed based on the results of these trials. Capecitabine can have long lasting effects on your body. You may also need medical trials for a short time after your treatment ends.

• You should stay under the care of a doctor while you are taking capecitabine.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Hold the bottle tightly closed when not in use.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What must I avoid while taking capecitabine?

• This medication can pass into body fluids (including urine, feces, vomit, semen, vaginal fluid). For at least 48 hours after you receive a doze, avoid allowing your body fluids to come into contact with your hands or another surfaces. Patients and caregivers must wear rubber gloves while cleaning up body fluids, handling contaminated trash or laundry or changing diapers. Wash hands till and after removing gloves. Wash soiled clothing and linens apart from another laundry.

• Body fluids must not be handled by a woman who is pregnant or who may become pregnant. Use condoms during sexual activity to avoid exposure to body fluids.

What are the possible side effects of capecitabine?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· nausea, loss of appetite, eating many smaller than normal, vomiting (more than once in 24 hours);

· severe diarrhea (more than 4 times for day, or during the night);

· bloody, black, or tarry stools;

· coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;

· fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, light bruising or bleeding, white patches or sores internal your mouth or on your lips;

· pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart course, trouble concentrating;

· pain, tenderness, redness, swelling, blistering, or peeling skin on your hands or feet;

· swelling, rapid weight gain; or

· jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

• General side effects may include:

· stomach pain or upset, constipation;

· weary feeling;

· mild skin rash; or

· numbness or tingling in your hands or feet.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect capecitabine?

• Speak your doctor about all medications you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with capecitabine, especially:

· leucovorin;

· phenytoin;

· heart or blood pressure medication;

· oral diabetes medicine; or

· NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)--ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others.

• This list is not complete. Another drugs may interact with capecitabine, including prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medicine manual.

Where can I get more information?

• Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about capecitabine.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.