Mosby's 2014 Nursing Drug Reference (223 page)

BOOK: Mosby's 2014 Nursing Drug Reference
3.03Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Canada only   Side effects:
italics
= common;
bold
= life-threatening   
Nurse Alert

HIGH ALERT
irinotecan (Rx)

(ear-een-oh-tee′kan)

Camptosar

Func. class.:
Antineoplastic

Chem. class.:
Camptothecin analog

ACTION:

Cytotoxic by producing damage to single-strand DNA during DNA synthesis; binds to topoisomerase I

USES:

Metastatic carcinoma of the colon or rectum or 1st-line treatment in combination with 5-FU and leucovorin for metastatic colon or rectal carcinomas

Unlabeled uses:
Cervical, gastric, lung, ovarian, pancreatic cancer, malignant glioma, rhabdomyosarcoma

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

Pregnancy (D), hypersensitivity

Precautions:
Breastfeeding, children, geriatric patients, irradiation, hepatic disease

 

Black Box Warning:

Myelosuppression, diarrhea

DOSAGE AND ROUTES
Calculator
First-line treatment of colorectal cancer in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU):
Intravenous dosage (with bolus 5-FU/leucovorin)

• Adult: IV
125 mg/m
2
over 90 min followed by leucovorin 20 mg/m
2
IV bolus and then 5-FU 500 mg/m
2
IV bolus on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; the next course begins on day 43 or when toxicity has recovered to NCI grade 1 or less

Intravenous dosage (with infusional 5-FU/leucovorin)

• Adult: IV
180 mg/m
2
over 90 min followed by leucovorin 200 mg/m
2
IV over 2 hr then 5-FU bolus and continuous infusion 400 mg/m
2
IV bolus, then 600 mg/m
2
IV infusion over 22 hr on days 1, 15, and leucovorin and 5-FU are given on days 1, 2, 15, 16, 29, and 30; the next course begins on day 43 or when toxicity has recovered to NCI grade 1 or less

Single-agent treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer that has recurred or progressed after 5-FU–based therapy
Intravenous dosage (weekly dosage schedule)

• Adult: IV
125 mg/m
2
over 90 min weekly × 4 wk, every 6 wk

Intravenous dosage (once-every-3-weeks dosage schedule)

• Adult: IV
350 mg/m
2
over 90 min every 3 wk

Available forms:
Inj 20 mg/ml

Administer:

• 
Use cytotoxic handling precautions

IV route

• 
Premedicate with antiemetic dexamethasone 10 mg plus another antiemetic agent, such as a 5-HT
3
blocker, given at least 30 min before use


 
Before beginning a course of therapy, the granulocyte count should be ≥1500, the platelet count should be ≥100,000, and treatment-related diarrhea should be fully resolved

Dilution

• 
Dilute appropriate dose in D
5
W (preferred) or NS injection to a final concentration of 0.12–2.8 mg/ml

• 
Store up to 24 hr at room temperature and room lighting; however, because of possible microbial contamination during preparation, an admixture prepared with D
5
W or NS should be used within 6 hr, solutions prepared with D
5
W, refrigerated, protected from light must be used within 48 hr; avoid refrigeration if prepared with NS

Intravenous infusion

• 
Infuse intravenously over 90 min

SIDE EFFECTS

CNS:
Fever, headache, chills, dizziness

CV:
Vasodilation, edema,
thromboembolism

GI:
Severe diarrhea,
nausea, vomiting
, anorexia, constipation, cramps, flatus, stomatitis, dyspepsia,
hepatotoxicity

HEMA:
Leukopenia, anemia, neutropenia

INTEG:
Irritation at site, rash, sweating, alopecia

MISC:
Edema, asthenia, weight loss, back pain

RESP:
Dyspnea, increased cough, rhinitis

PHARMACOKINETICS

Rapidly and completely absorbed, excreted in urine and bile as metabolites, half-life 6-12 hr, bound to plasma proteins 30%-68%, increased risk for toxicity in patients homozygous for UGT1A1 28

INTERACTIONS

Increase:
toxicity—fluorouracil

Increase:
bleeding risk—NSAIDs, anticoagulants

Increase:
irinotecan levels—some CYP3A4 inhibitors (ketoconazole)

Increase:
myelosuppression, diarrhea—other antineoplastics, radiation

Increase:
lymphocytopenia, hyperglycemia—dexamethasone

Increase:
akathisia—prochlorperazine

Increase:
dehydration—diuretics

Decrease:
irinotecan levels—CYP3A4 inducers (phenytoin, carBAMazepine, PHENobarbital)

Drug/Herb

Decrease:
product level—St. John’s wort; avoid concurrent use

Drug/Lab Test

Increase:
alk phos, LFTs, bilirubin

Decrease:
platelets, WBC, neutrophils, Hgb/HcT

NURSING CONSIDERATIONS
Assess:

• 
CNS symptoms: fever, headache, chills, dizziness

 

Black Box Warning:

CBC, differential, platelet count weekly; use colony-stimulating factor if WBC <2000/mm
3
or platelet count <100,000/mm
3
, Hgb ≤9 g/dl, neutrophil ≤1000/mm
3
; notify prescriber of results; product should be discontinued and colony-stimulating factor given

• 
Buccal cavity for dryness, sores or ulceration, white patches, oral pain, bleeding, dysphagia

 

Black Box Warning:

GI symptoms: frequency of stools; cramping; severe, life-threatening diarrhea may occur with fluid and electrolyte imbalances, treat diarrhea within 24 hr of use with 0.25-1 mg atropine IV; treat diarrhea >24 hr of use with loperamide, diarrhea >24 hr (late diarrhea) can be fatal

• 
Signs of dehydration: rapid respirations, poor skin turgor, decreased urine output, dry skin, restlessness, weakness

• 
Bone marrow depression: bruising, bleeding, blood in stools, urine, sputum, emesis

Perform/provide:

• 
Increased fluid intake to 2-3 L/day to prevent dehydration unless contraindicated

• 
Rinsing of mouth tid-qid with water, club soda; brushing of teeth bid-tid with soft brush or cotton-tipped applicator for stomatitis; use unwaxed dental floss

Evaluate:

• 
Therapeutic response: decrease in tumor size, spread of cancer

Teach patient/family:

• 
To avoid foods with citric acid or hot or rough texture if stomatitis is present; to drink adequate fluids

• 
To report stomatitis; any bleeding, white spots, ulcerations in mouth; to examine mouth daily, report symptoms

• 
To report signs of anemia: fatigue, headache, faintness, SOB, irritability, infection, rash

• 
To use contraception during therapy


 
To report if pregnancy is planned or suspected pregnancy (D)

• 
To avoid salicylates, NSAIDs, alcohol because bleeding may occur; to avoid all products unless approved by prescriber

• 
About alopecia; that, when hair grows back, it will be different texture, thickness

• 
To avoid vaccinations while taking this product

 
To report diarrhea that occurs 24 hr after administration; severe dehydration can occur rapidly

Canada only   Side effects:
italics
= common;
bold
= life-threatening   
Nurse Alert

Other books

Split by Mel Bossa
Highlander Brawn by Knight, Eliza
Adora by Bertrice Small
College Discipline by Kim Acton
Recreated by Colleen Houck
Pushin' by L. Divine