What is the most important information I should know about teniposide?
Teniposide should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
Serious side effects have been reported with the use of teniposide including: allergic reactions (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); decreased bone marrow function and blood problems (extreme fatigue; easy bruising or bleeding; black, bloody or tarry stools; fever or chills; or signs of infection); and others. Talk to your doctor about the possible side effects from treatment with teniposide.
What is teniposide?
Teniposide is a cancer (antineoplastic) medication. Teniposide interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body.
Teniposide is used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (blood cancer) in children.
Teniposide may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
Who should not use teniposide?
 |
Do not use teniposide without first talking to your doctor if you have |
- Down's Syndrome;
- bone marrow suppression;
- liver disease; or
- low albumin levels.
The use of teniposide may be dangerous if you have any of the conditions listed above.
 |
Teniposide is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means that teniposide is known to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use teniposide without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. Discuss with your doctor the appropriate use of birth control during treatment with teniposide if necessary. |
 |
It is not known whether teniposide passes into breast milk. Do not take teniposide without first talking to your doctor if you are breast feeding a baby. |
The safety and effectiveness of teniposide in children has not been established.
How should I use teniposide?
Teniposide should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
Your doctor will determine the correct amount and frequency of treatment with teniposide depending upon the type of cancer being treated and other factors. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns regarding the treatment schedule.
Your doctor will probably want you to have regularly scheduled blood tests and other medical evaluations during treatment with teniposide to monitor progress and side effects.
Skin accidentally exposed to teniposide should be rinsed thoroughly with soap and warm water.
Your healthcare provider will store teniposide as directed by the manufacturer. If you are storing teniposide at home, follow the directions provided by your healthcare provider.
What happens if I overdose?
 |
If for any reason an overdose of teniposide is suspected, seek emergency medical attention or contact your healthcare provider immediately. |
Symptoms of a teniposide overdose tend to be similar to side effects caused by the medication, although often more severe.
What should I avoid while using teniposide?
Teniposide can lower the activity of your immune system making you susceptible to infections. Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses and do not receive vaccines that contain live strains of a virus (e.g., live oral polio vaccine) during treatment with teniposide. In addition, avoid contact with individuals who have recently been vaccinated with a live vaccine. There is a chance that the virus can be passed on to you.
Skin accidentally exposed to teniposide should be rinsed thoroughly with soap and warm water.
What are the possible side effects of teniposide?
If you experience any of the following serious side effects from teniposide, seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
- an allergic reaction (including difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); or
- decreased bone marrow function and blood problems (extreme fatigue; easy bruising or bleeding; black, bloody or tarry stools; or fever, chills, or signs of infection).
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue taking teniposide and talk to your doctor if you experience:
- nausea or vomiting;
- drowsiness or dizziness; or
- temporary hair loss.
Other side effects have also been reported. Discuss with your doctor any side effect that occurs during treatment with teniposide.
What other drugs will affect teniposide?
|
Do not receive "live" vaccines during treatment with teniposide. Administration of a live vaccine may be dangerous during treatment with teniposide. |
Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including herbal products, during treatment with teniposide.
Where can I get more information?
Your healthcare provider may have additional information about teniposide that you may read.
What does my medication look like?
Teniposide injection is available with a prescription under the brand name Vumon. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every 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 outside 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 should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid 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.
Copyright 1996-2003 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.04. Revision date: 2/13/04.
