Streptozocin

Streptozocin is a prescription medication used to treat cancer of the pancreas that has gotten worse or spread to other parts of the body. Streptozocin belongs to a group of drugs called alkylating agents. These work by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of streptozocin include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Streptozocin is a prescription medication used to treat cancer of the pancreas that has gotten worse or spread to other parts of the body.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Streptozocin may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Zanosar

Common side effects of streptozocin include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

This is not a complete list of this medication's side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• other cytotoxic/chemotherapeutic medications such as carboplatin (Paraplatin), cisplatin (Platinol), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar), and doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Doxil)
• phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
• medications that can lead to kidney injury (nephrotoxic drugs)

This is not a complete list of streptozocin drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with streptozocin including the following:

• severe infusion site reactions (tissue lesions and necrosis)
• Confusion, lethargy, and depression have been reported
• Severe kidney toxicity
• Streptozocin can cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication affects you.

Do not take streptozocin if you are allergic to streptozocin or to any of its ingredients.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of streptozocin, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking streptozocin, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to streptozocin or to any of its ingredients
• have kidney problems
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category D. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if streptozocin crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using streptozocin.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be dosed by a healthcare professional.

• Daily Schedule: The recommended dose for daily intravenous (into the vein) use is 500 mg/m2 for 5 consecutive days every 6 weeks until maximum benefit or until treatment-limiting toxicity is observed.
• Weekly Schedule: The recommended starting dose for weekly intravenous (into the vein) use is 1000 mg/m2 at weekly intervals for the first 2 courses (weeks). In later courses, drug doses may be increased in those who have not achieved a response and who have not experienced significant toxicity. A SINGLE DOSE OF 1500 mg/m2 SHOULD NOT BE EXCEEDED.

If this medication is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if an overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

Streptozocin should be administered under the supervision of a physician experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

A patient need not be hospitalized but should have access to a facility with laboratory and supportive resources sufficient to monitor drug tolerance and to protect and maintain a patient compromised by drug toxicity. Renal toxicity is dose-related and cumulative and may be severe or fatal. Other major toxicities are nausea and vomiting which may be severe and at times treatment-limiting. In addition, liver dysfunction, diarrhea, and hematological changes have been observed in some patients. Streptozocin is mutagenic. When administered parenterally, it has been found to be tumorigenic or carcinogenic in some rodents.

The physician must judge the possible benefit to the patient against the known toxic effects of this drug in considering the advisability of therapy with streptozocin. The physician should be familiar with the following text before making a judgment and beginning treatment.