Floxuridine (Systemic)

Brand Names : FUDR

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 floxuridine, the following should be considered:

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

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

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

Breast-feeding - Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or if you intend to breast-feed during treatment with this medicine. Because floxuridine may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding is generally not recommended while you are receiving it.

Children - There is no specific information comparing use of floxuridine 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 or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. Although there is no specific information comparing use of floxuridine 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 receiving floxuridine, 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 (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 - Floxuridine may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation on the blood

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of floxuridine. 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

• Hepatitis (history of) - Increased risk of hepatitis

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease (other) - Effects of floxuridine may be increased because of slower removal from the body

• Infection - Floxuridine can decrease your body's ability to fight infection