Details

Topotecan is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body. Topotecan is used to treat ovarian cancer, small cell lung cancer, and certain types of cervical cancer. You should not use topotecan if you have severe bone marrow depression. Topotecan can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. To make sure topotecan is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease lung disease or lung cancer or if you have had a chest X-ray or radiation treatment of your chest area. Do not use topotecan if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

Typical Uses

Topotecan is used to treat small cell lung cancer. It works by killing cancer cells or slowing their growth.

Side Effects

Common topotecan side effects may include wheezing, feeling short of breath, chest pain, dry cough fever, chills, flu symptoms, mouth and throat ulcers, rapid and shallow breathing, fainting pale skin, feeling light-headed, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin diarrhoea with fever and stomach cramps pain or burning when you urinate or skin changes or severe irritation where the needle is placed.

Drug Interactions

• Topotecan+adalimumab- Using adalimumab together with topotecan may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Topotecan+deferiprone- Deferiprone can lower white blood cell count, and combining it with other medications that can also affect bone marrow function such as topotecan may increase the risk. You may be more likely to develop serious and potentially life-threatening infections as a result.
• Topotecan+golimumab- Using topotecan together with golimumab may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
• Topotecan+leflunomide- Using leflunomide together with topotecan may increase the risk of serious infections. Because leflunomide can stay in your blood for a prolonged period after the last dose, interactions with other drugs may occur for some time even after you have stopped taking it. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Mechanism of action

Topotecan belongs to class of medications called topoisomerase I inhibitors. It acts by prohibiting the DNA replication and results in death of the cancer cells.

Pregnancy Category : D