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Vincristine Brand Names
- Oncovin
- Vincasar PFS
What is Vincristine
Vincristine is a member of the vinca alkaloid class of naturally occurring cancer chemotherapy agents, which are extracted from the Catharanthus rosea or periwinkle plant.
Vincristine is similar to vinblastine in action and structure, but their toxicities and spectrum of activity differ significantly.
Vincristine has increased cellular retention as compared to vinblastine which may account for vincristine’s increased potency with bolus dosing while both drugs are equitoxic with prolonged tissue exposure.
The dose-limiting toxicity of vincristine is neurotoxicity while the dose limiting toxicity of other vinca alkaloids is myelosuppression.
The difference may be due to increased binding of vincristine to axonal microtubules.
Vincristine is cell cycle-phase specific agent used in the management of many different malignancies including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, breast carcinoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, soft-tissue sarcomas, osteogenic sarcoma, and brain tumors.
Indications
- acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
- head and neck cancer
- Hodgkin lymphoma
- immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Kaposi’s sarcoma
- malignant glioma
- multiple myeloma
- neuroblastoma
- non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)
- rhabdomyosarcoma
- small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
- thymoma
- trophoblastic disease
- Wilms’ tumor
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- alopecia
- anaphylactoid reactions
- anemia
- anorexia
- ataxia
- back pain
- bone pain
- bowel necrosis
- bronchospasm
- coma
- constipation
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- dyspnea
- dysuria
- edema
- fever
- GI perforation
- headache
- hearing loss
- hypertension
- hyperuricemia
- hyponatremia
- hyporeflexia
- hypotension
- ileus
- injection site reaction
- leukopenia
- muscle paralysis
- myalgia
- myocardial infarction
- nausea
- nephrolithiasis
- neuropathic pain
- nystagmus
- optic atrophy
- oral ulceration
- paresthesias
- peripheral neuropathy
- polyuria
- rash
- seizures
- SIADH
- sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS)
- skin irritation
- thrombocytopenia
- urinary retention
- veno-occlusive disease (VOD)
- vertigo
- vomiting
- weight loss
Monitoring Parameters
- LFTs
- serum bilirubin (total and direct)
- serum sodium
Contraindications
- accidental exposure
- biliary tract disease
- bone marrow suppression
- breast-feeding
- extravasation
- geriatric
- hepatic disease
- herpes infection
- hyperkalemia
- hyperphosphatemia
- hyperuricemia
- hypocalcemia
- hyponatremia
- ileus
- infection
- intramuscular administration
- intrathecal administration
- neurological disease
- neurotoxicity
- ocular exposure
- pregnancy
- radiation therapy
- requires an experienced clinician
- subcutaneous administration
- tumor lysis syndrome (TLS)
- vaccination
- varicella
- viral infection
Interactions
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Acetaminophen; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Alpha interferons
- Amiodarone
- Amobarbital
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Lansoprazole
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Omeprazole
- Amprenavir
- Anticoagulants
- Antithrombin III
- Apalutamide
- Apixaban
- Aprepitant, Fosaprepitant
- Argatroban
- Armodafinil
- Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine
- Aspirin, ASA; Butalbital; Caffeine; Codeine
- Atazanavir
- Atazanavir; Cobicistat
- Atropine; Hyoscyamine; Phenobarbital; Scopolamine
- Barbiturates
- Belladonna Alkaloids; Ergotamine; Phenobarbital
- Betrixaban
- Bexarotene
- Bivalirudin
- Boceprevir
- Bortezomib
- Bosutinib
- Brigatinib
- Butabarbital
- Cabozantinib
- Capmatinib
- Carbamazepine
- Carvedilol
- Ceritinib
- Chloramphenicol
- Cimetidine
- Clarithromycin
- Clozapine
- Cobicistat
- Conivaptan
- Crizotinib
- Cyclosporine
- Dabigatran
- Dabrafenib
- Dalteparin
- Danaparoid
- Darunavir
- Darunavir; Cobicistat
- Darunavir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Dasabuvir; Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Delavirdine
- Desirudin
- Desmopressin
- Dexamethasone
- Dextromethorphan; Quinidine
- Diclofenac
- Diclofenac; Misoprostol
- Diphenhydramine; Ibuprofen
- Diphenhydramine; Naproxen
- Dronedarone
- Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol
- Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol; Levomefolate
- Echinacea
- Edoxaban
- Elbasvir; Grazoprevir
- Eliglustat
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Enoxaparin
- Enzalutamide
- Erythromycin
- Erythromycin; Sulfisoxazole
- Eslicarbazepine
- Esomeprazole; Naproxen
- Ethinyl Estradiol
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Desogestrel
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Ethynodiol Diacetate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Etonogestrel
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel; Ferrous bisglycinate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel; Folic Acid; Levomefolate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norelgestromin
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate; Ferrous fumarate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone; Ferrous fumarate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestimate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestrel
- Etodolac
- Etravirine
- Famotidine; Ibuprofen
- Febuxostat
- Felbamate
- Fenoprofen
- Filgrastim, G-CSF
- Flurbiprofen
- Flutamide
- Fondaparinux
- Fosamprenavir
- Fosphenytoin
- Gadobenate Dimeglumine
- Ganciclovir
- Glecaprevir; Pibrentasvir
- grapefruit juice
- Heparin
- Hydrocodone; Ibuprofen
- Ibuprofen
- Ibuprofen; Oxycodone
- Ibuprofen; Pseudoephedrine
- Idelalisib
- Imatinib
- Indinavir
- Indomethacin
- Interferon Alfa-2a
- Interferon Alfa-2b
- Interferon Alfa-2b; Ribavirin
- Interferon Alfa-n3
- Interferon Alfacon-1
- Isavuconazonium
- Isoniazid, INH; Pyrazinamide, PZA; Rifampin
- Isoniazid, INH; Rifampin
- Istradefylline
- Itraconazole
- Ixabepilone
- Ketoconazole
- Ketoprofen
- Ketorolac
- L-Asparaginase Escherichia coli
- Lansoprazole; Naproxen
- Lapatinib
- Ledipasvir; Sofosbuvir
- Lepirudin
- Letermovir
- Live Vaccines
- Lopinavir; Ritonavir
- Lumacaftor; Ivacaftor
- Meclofenamate Sodium
- Mefenamic Acid
- Mefloquine
- Meloxicam
- Mephobarbital
- Methohexital
- Methotrexate
- Mifepristone
- Mitomycin
- Mitotane
- Modafinil
- Nabumetone
- Nafcillin
- Naproxen
- Naproxen; Pseudoephedrine
- Naproxen; Sumatriptan
- Nelfinavir
- Neratinib
- Netupitant, Fosnetupitant; Palonosetron
- Nifedipine
- Nilotinib
- Octreotide
- Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Omeprazole; Amoxicillin; Rifabutin
- Oritavancin
- Osimertinib
- Oxaprozin
- Oxcarbazepine
- Palifermin
- Pazopanib
- Pegaspargase
- Pegfilgrastim
- Peginterferon Alfa-2a
- Peginterferon Alfa-2b
- Penicillamine
- Pentobarbital
- Pentosan
- Perampanel
- Phenobarbital
- Phenytoin
- Piroxicam
- Posaconazole
- Primidone
- Propafenone
- Protease inhibitors
- Quinidine
- Quinine
- Ribociclib
- Ribociclib; Letrozole
- Rifabutin
- Rifampin
- Rifapentine
- Rifaximin
- Ritonavir
- Rivaroxaban
- Rolapitant
- Saquinavir
- Secobarbital
- Segesterone Acetate; Ethinyl Estradiol
- Simeprevir
- Sorafenib
- St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum
- Sulindac
- Tbo-Filgrastim
- Telaprevir
- Telithromycin
- Telotristat Ethyl
- Temsirolimus
- Teniposide
- Testosterone
- Thalidomide
- Thiopental
- Ticagrelor
- Tinzaparin
- Tipranavir
- Tolmetin
- Trandolapril; Verapamil
- Trifluoperazine
- Tuberculin Purified Protein Derivative, PPD
- Tucatinib
- Valganciclovir
- Valproic Acid, Divalproex Sodium
- Vasopressin, ADH
- Vemurafenib
- Verapamil
- Voriconazole
- Warfarin
- Zafirlukast
- Zalcitabine, ddC