Altretamine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Hexalen, hexamethylmelamine

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For altretamine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to altretamine.

Pregnancy - There is a chance that this medicine may cause birth defects if either the male or female is taking it at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. In addition, many cancer medicines may cause sterility that could be permanent. Although sterility has not been reported with this medicine, it does occur in animals and the possibility should be kept in mind.

Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are taking altretamine. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while taking altretamine.

Breast-feeding - Because altretamine may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are taking it.

Children - There is no specific information comparing use of altretamine in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of altretamine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking altretamine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) or
• If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medicines - Altretamine may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation therapy on the blood

• Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (isocarboxazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate]) - Taking altretamine while you are taking MAO inhibitors may cause a severe drop in blood pressure

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of altretamine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
• Herpes zoster (shingles) - Risk of severe disease affecting other parts of the body

• Nervous system problems - May be worsened by altretamine

• Infection - Altretamine may decrease your body's ability to fight infection

• Kidney disease - Effects of altretamine may be increased because of slower removal from the body

• Liver disease - Effects may be changed because altretamine is activated and cleared from the body by the liver