Archive for the ‘Cancer’ Category
An oestrogen antagonist used for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women in which oestrogens stimulate growth of the tumour. It is available as tablets on prescription only.
Side effects: include hot flushes, vaginal bleeding or discharge, sweating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fluid retention, and chest or back pain. Vaginal bleeding or discharge or pelvic pain should be reported to a doctor promptly to exclude the possibility of cancer of the endometrium (womb lining).
Precautions: toremifene should not be taken by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or by those who have severe liver disease, hyperplasia (overgrowth) of the endometrium, or a history of severe thromboembolic disease.
Interactions with other drugs:
Anticoagulants: toremifene increases the effects of warfarin and
nicoumalone (acenocoumarol).
Antiepileptic drugs: the effects of toremifene may be reduced by
carbamazepine, phenobarbitone
Thiazide diuretics: increase the risk of high concentrations of calcium in the blood, especially in women in whom the cancer has spread to the
bones.
Proprietary preparation: Fareston.
One of the most widely used and effective cytotoxic drugs. A cytotoxic antibiotic, doxorubicin is administered intravenously for the treatment of acute leukaemias, lymphomas, and a variety of solid tumours and is instilled directly into the bladder to treat bladder cancer. It is also used to treat AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma (a tumour of blood vessels in the skin), for which it is available as a lipid formulation for infusion; the lipid enhances its uptake by the tumour cells. Doxorubicin is a prescription only medicine.
Side effects:
include moderate to severe nausea and vomiting, bone marrow suppression, hair loss,
and inflammation of the mouth. High doses can have adverse effects on the heart. Leakage from the infusion tube can damage the surrounding tissue. Read the rest of this entry »
