Valrubicin, Intravesical

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antineoplastic; anthracycline

Generic and brand names: valrubicin, intravesical; Valstar

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is used to treat bladder cancer when you cannot have surgery or when surgery should be delayed. This medicine may be temporarily unavailable from the manufacturer. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had allergic reaction to any medicine. Also tell your provider if you currently have a bladder or urinary tract infection.

Men and women of childbearing age should use an effective birth control method during treatment with this medicine.

Females of childbearing age: Talk with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare providers' approval.

How do I use it?

The medicine is put into your bladder once a week for 6 weeks.

A catheter (tube) is inserted into your bladder to drain any urine that is present. Then this medicine is put into your bladder through the same tube. The tube is removed slowly. Then you try to hold the medicine in your bladder for 2 hours. At the end of 2 hours, you empty your bladder. If you cannot hold the medicine for the full 2 hours, you will be allowed to urinate sooner.

Drink plenty of water after your treatment with this medicine.

If any of the medicine comes in contact with your skin, rinse it with plenty of water.

What should I watch out for?

You will need to have tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

After treatment with this medicine, your urine may be a red color which is different from blood in the urine. This should disappear within 24 hours. If it is still red after 24 hours, contact your healthcare provider.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Red-colored urine or bladder spasms that last longer than 24 hours after a dose of this medicine; trouble urinating; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual tiredness or weakness; fever; chills; sore throat.

Other: Cloudy urine, pain when urinating, frequent urge to urinate, increased urination at night, stomach pain, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, dizziness, itching.

What products might interact with this medicine?

No significant drug interactions have been reported.

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

____________________________________________________

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.

Developed by RelayHealth
Published by RelayHealth.
© 2009 RelayHealth and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.