Vinorelbine: uses, indications and cautions when using

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Vinorelbine is a drug for the treatment of cancer, the drug is prepared in the form of a solution contained in a vial. Vinorelbine is given intravenously and works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.

1. What is Vinorelbine?

Vinorelbine is a drug used to treat cancer. Vinorelbine is given intravenously. The drug works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells. Therefore, Vinorelbine slows the growth of tumors, which is very meaningful in the treatment of the disease.

2. How to use Vinorelbine?

Vinorelbine is used to treat different types of cancer. To perform this function, the drug has its own mechanism of action. Vinorelbine works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in the body. Thus, it has the effect of preventing the growth of tumors. It is this effect that Vinorelbine is also a chemotherapy drug.
Vinorelbine is injected slowly into a vein, injected over 6-10 minutes. Take this medication once a week or as directed by your doctor. The doctor will base on the patient's medical condition and response to the drug to give the right dose of treatment.
One thing to note is that only doctors, specialists inject Vinorelbine intravenously to patients. Never give an injection to anyone else who is not qualified, it is very dangerous.
When using the drug, avoid getting the drug on the skin. If this happens, wash affected skin immediately with soap and water. Rinse eyes immediately with clean water if the medicine gets into eyes and contact a doctor immediately.

3. Does Vinorelbine have any side effects?

After using Vinorelbine, patients rarely have any serious reactions. However, patients may experience the following side effects:
Possible nausea, vomiting Feeling tired, dizziness Gastrointestinal disturbances such as: constipation, diarrhea Muscle pain, joint pain or irritation injection site reaction. If any of the above symptoms persist for a long time or get worse, contact your doctor immediately. To prevent constipation when taking the drug, the patient should add more fiber. You should eat lots of vegetables, fruits and vegetables, drink enough water and exercise every day. In addition, your doctor may add a laxative to your prescription to help prevent constipation. Therefore, patients should ask their doctor or pharmacist which laxative is appropriate.
In addition, Vinorelbine can also cause hair effects such as temporary hair loss. This problem only occurs with the medication and the hair will grow back once the treatment is over.
In addition, the patient may have some of the following serious reactions:
There are signs of liver disease such as loss of appetite, right upper quadrant pain, yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, pale stools.. Numbness or tingling or pain in the hands or feet Mouth sores The patient bruises easily or bleeds on light touch The patient is debilitated The feeling of shortness of breath or shortness of breath increases, coughing Disorders Gastrointestinal: severe constipation, bloody urine Neurological changes such as: mental or mood changes, decreased reflexes.

Pay special attention if chest pain occurs, this is a very rare symptom. Therefore, it is important to notify your doctor immediately if chest pain occurs after taking Vinorelbine.
After using Vinorelbine, the patient may have allergic reactions such as:
Appearance of rashes Feeling of itching or swelling of the mucous membranes (especially the face, tongue, throat) The patient feels dizzy. severe, difficult to breathe. If the patient experiences any symptoms other than those listed above, contact the doctor immediately and discontinue the drug.
Some precautions to prevent drug side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to the medicine or any of its ingredients. If you have any allergies to other products, please report them immediately. Vinorelbine may cause allergic reactions or other problems because it contains inactive ingredients. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: decreased bone marrow function or blood cell disorders. Tell your doctor your medical history before taking this medicine, especially of: liver disease, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, gastrointestinal obstruction. Vinorelbine can sometimes make the skin more prone to sunburn after radiation therapy (recovery radiation). This reaction usually occurs on the skin that has been treated with radiation after taking vinorelbine . In addition, patients may also have throat problems after doing radiation recovery. If you experience redness, pain or swelling, peeling or blistering, pain, difficulty swallowing, contact your doctor immediately. In addition, if the patient develops skin reactions, avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning salons and sunlamps. When going out, use sunscreen and wear protective clothing.

Do not give any vaccines without your doctor's consent. For people who have just received the polio vaccine, contact should be avoided. Be careful when using sharp objects. Avoid sports or strenuous activities to reduce your risk of injury or bruising. After taking Vinorelbine do not drive or do anything that requires alertness. Do not drive or do hazardous work for 12 hours after taking the first dose, after increasing the dose, or starting treatment with Vinorelbine again. Limit alcohol and tell your doctor if you are taking narcotics such as marijuana. Vinorelbine may cause impaired fertility in men. Therefore, consult your doctor when using and only use when absolutely necessary. Do not take Vinorelbine while pregnant or breastfeeding. This medicine may affect an unborn baby. Ask your doctor for safe forms of birth control while using this medicine and for 6 months after stopping treatment. If a woman is pregnant, consult a doctor. Whether Vinorelbine passes into breast milk is unknown. However, breast-feeding while using this medicine and for 9 days after stopping treatment is not recommended. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor.

4. Possible Vinorelbine drug interactions

When combined with Vinorelbine with other products, it may change the properties of the drug. This may increase the risk of serious side effects. Therefore, it is important to tell your doctor about all medications you are taking or have recently stopped taking. Patients should not arbitrarily use, stop or change the dose without the permission of the doctor.

Mitomycin is a product that can cause interactions with Vinorelbine.
Some drugs can affect the removal of vinorelbine from the body. These are azole antifungals (itraconazole), macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin), rifamycins (rifabutin), St. John's wort or medicine used to treat seizures. This may affect the action of Vinorelbine

5. Some notes when using Vinorelbine drug

Overdose: If you have symptoms of an overdose, contact your doctor and inform your loved ones. Periodic health check to monitor the health of the patient, from which the doctor makes an appropriate treatment plan.
If you miss a few doses, contact your doctor for new treatment options.
Vinorelbine is not stored at home because it is only available in the hospital. Therefore, do not arbitrarily give injections to unqualified people. Especially do not buy drugs from outside to self-inject without the consent of the doctor.
When taking Vinorelbine can change the patient's blood count. The drug causes bone marrow depression, which can lower blood cell counts and reduce the ability to fight infections. If you have any signs of infection such as fever, chills or persistent sore throat, contact your doctor immediately. If you experience pain, redness, swelling, or discoloration at the injection site, contact your doctor immediately.
Once you know the use of Vinorelbine, patients should strictly follow the instructions for taking the drug to achieve optimal results. Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for quality and professional medical care with a team of highly skilled doctors, pharmacists and experts. When having health problems, customers can register for an examination to have appropriate indications about their current health status.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: webmd.com