Microsoft word - tretinoin (atra vesanoid).docx

Tretinoin (Vesanoid, ATRA®)
Tretinoin (Vesanoid, ATRA®) is an oral medicine that your doctor prescribed for the
treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) that has certain gene changes, in which the long arms of chromosomes 15 and 17 are switched (translocated). Please take your tretinoin as directed by your prescriber. How is this medication taken?
• Take your tretinoin at approximately the same times each day. • Take tretinoin with or immediately folloowing a meal or snack. Do not • Do not break, chew, or dissolve capsules, and do not handle any that have been broken. If you get any of the capsule's contents on your skin, wash it off with soap and water and call your doctor or pharmacist for further • Contact your cancer clinic if you are unable to take tretinoin as prescribed, including if you are unable tto swallow the capsu Are there any drugs or foods I should avoid with ttretinoin therapy?
• Vitamin A supplements from animal soources (such as fish liver oil) can cause toxic levels of Vitamin A in the body when taken during treatment with tretinoin. Vitamin A precursors froom vegetable sources (such as beta carotene) are not a problem. If you are taking vitamins, check the label to see how much vitamin A they contain. If you are unsure, please ask your • There are multiple drug and herbal interactions with tretinoin. Please contact your cancer clinic or the UMCCC oral medications for cancer Oral Anti-Cancer Therapy Service 734-232-6366 Tretinoin (Vesanoid, ATRA)
therapy service if you are taking or interested in taking any new over-the- counter medication, vitamin, or herbal product or if a physician other than your oncologist has prescribed any new medication for you. We will review for the risk of interaction with tretinoin. Some examples of medications/herbal products that may interact include: antibiotics, antifungals like voriconazole (Vfend), antiseizure medicines like phenytoin (Dilantin) and carbamazepine, blood thinning medicines like warfarin and herbal products like St. John’s Wort. These are only some examples so please contact your cancer clinic or UMCCC oral medications for cancer therapy service if you start taking anything new. What side effects can occur with tretinoin therapy?
This information does not cover all possible side effects. Refer to the attached information for each chemotherapy agent for further information. Common Side Effects
What Can I Do?
When to Call your Cancer Clinic
and up to 2 mg every • Multiple episodes of diarrhea Oral Anti-Cancer Therapy Service 734-232-6366 Tretinoin (Vesanoid, ATRA)
Common Side Effects
What Can I Do?
When to Call your Cancer Clinic

Less Common Side
What Can I Do?
When to Call your Cancer Clinic
Effects
Blood Clots (Deep Vein
More information:
This document should be combined with “What to Expect, A Guide to Oral Chemotherapy Treatment at the University of Michigan” and the “Oral Medications for Cancer Therapy” documents. Ask your nurse or pharmacist for these documents if you did not receive them, or for more information, visit the Patient Education Resource Center in the Cancer Center. Oral Anti-Cancer Therapy Service 734-232-6366 Tretinoin (Vesanoid, ATRA)
Who to Call With Questions

• For medical emergencies call 911. • For symptoms or possible side effects related to your medications, please call • For questions about drug coverage, ability to receive the medication, drug interactions with over-the-counter medications, herbal products and new prescription medications or help in remembering to take your medication, please contact the Oral Medications for Cancer Therapy Service at 734-232-6366 or [email protected]. This document is not intended to take the place of the care and attention of
your personal physician or other professional medical services.
Our aim is to promote active participation in your care and treatment
by providing information and education.
Questions about individual health concerns or specific treatment options
should be discussed with your physician.
2012 The Regents of the University of Michigan
Document #0428/ Revised May 2012
Oral Anti-Cancer Therapy Service 734-232-6366

Source: http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/files/tretinoin.pdf