Leustatin Side Effects

Severe Side Effects of Leustatin

• Hives, dizziness, difficulty breathing and itching or swelling in the face, tongue or throat may be indications of a serious allergic reaction to Leustatin.

• Pain, numbness or weakness in the arms, legs and joints may be indications of nerve damage.

• Tell your doctor right away if you experience seizures, frequent mood changes, pale skin, infrequent urination patterns, irregular heartbeat or excessive fatigue while receiving Leustatin treatments.

• Leustatin may cause dangerous viral or bacterial infections. Tell your doctor if you develop a fever, chills, dark or bloody stools, sore throat or abnormal bleeding or bruising.

Common Side Effects of Leustatin

• Seek medical attention if symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, cough, headache, diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation or loss of appetite persist or worsen after regular Leustatin use.

• Pain, redness or swelling at the injection site is common during the early stages of treatment. If these conditions do not go away, tell your doctor promptly.

Warnings & Recalls for Leustatin

Black Box Warning for Leustatin

• Leustatin may cause a suppression of bone marrow activity that can lead to life-threatening infections, anemia or severe bleeding.

• High doses of Leustatin may cause irreversible kidney or nerve damage.

General Warnings About Leustatin

• Before starting Leustatin therapy, tell your doctor about your medical history. Be sure to mention any kidney, liver, muscle, nerve or blood problems you may have.

• Before starting Leustatin therapy, tell your doctor about any medications you are taking, especially if you are taking any drugs to fight infections.

• Do not start Leustatin therapy if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant. Your doctor may advise you to use at least two reliable forms of birth control while on Leustatin.

Leustatin Treatment and Use

Leustatin | Cladribine is an antimetabolite that is used to treat a rare form of cancer called hairy cell leukemia. In patients with hairy cell leukemia, malignant white blood cells gather together in the body’s bone marrow and impede the production of healthy blood cells and platelets. The malignant cells have a “hairy” appearance when viewed closely in a microscope, thus giving the disease its name. It is manufactured by Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc.

How does Leustatin work?

Leustatin works by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

Dosage

• Leustatin should only be used under the careful supervision of a chemotherapy doctor.

• The actual dosage varies, depending on the person’s height and weight. A medical professional will inject 0.09 mL/kg of Leustatin into a patient’s vein every day for seven days.

• If the patient does not respond well to the initial seven doses of Leustatin, it is very unlikely that he or she will benefit from additional dosages. The chemotherapy doctor may decide to delay or discontinue the use of Leustatin if serious side effects occur.

• Patients should consult with their doctors before receiving any vaccinations during their Leustatin treatments.

Other Names for Leustatin

Brand Name

• Leustatin

Generic Name

• Cladribine

Lawsuits & Legal Information for Leustatin