What does Ara C do?

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What does Ara C do?

CYTARABINE, ARA-C (sye TARE a been) is a chemotherapy drug. This medicine reduces the growth of cancer cells and can suppress the immune system. It is used for treating leukemias or lymphomas. It is often given with other cancer drugs.

In which position should the nurse place a patient following the administration of cytarabine liposomal?

Dosing Precautions Following drug administration by lumbar puncture, the patient should be instructed to lie flat for 1 hour. Patients should be observed by the physician for immediate toxic reactions.

How is cytarabine liposomal administered?

How Cytarabine Liposomal Is Given: Liposomal cytarabine is given is by intraventricular or intrathecal infusion. This method is used when drugs need to reach the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) the fluid that is surrounding the brain and spinal cord, the drug is infused directly into the spinal fluid.

What is thioguanine used for?

Thioguanine is used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML; a type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells). Thioguanine is in a class of medications known as purine analogs. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.

What are the side effects of cytarabine?

Cytarabine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

  • nausea.
  • vomiting.
  • diarrhea.
  • stomach pain.
  • loss of appetite.
  • sores in the mouth and throat.
  • hair loss.
  • muscle or joint pain.

What is a liposomal formulation?

Liposomes are round bubbles consisting of an aqueous core encapsulated by natural or synthetic phospholipids. This structure turns liposomes into ideal drug carriers, since hydrophilic drugs tend to be entrapped in the core; while hydrophobic ones will be entrapped within the lipid bilayers.

Is daunorubicin an antimetabolite?

Daunorubicin and Cytarabine Liposome (Vyxeos®)is a combination of two medications, daunorubicin, an anthracycline, and cytarabine, an antimetabolite. Anthracyclines work by interrupting the copying of DNA, which is necessary for cancer cell growth.

What does mercaptopurine treat?

Mercaptopurine is used alone or with other chemotherapy drugs to treat acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL; also called acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute lymphatic leukemia; a type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells).

Is mercaptopurine an immunosuppressant?

Azathioprine and mercaptopurine are immunosuppressants. The immune system is important for fighting infections, but sometimes cells in the immune system attack the body’s own tissues and trigger inflammation like that in Crohn’s and Colitis.

Is thioguanine an immunosuppressant?

Thioguanine, like other thiopurines, is cytotoxic to white cells; as a result it is immunosuppressive at lower doses and anti-leukemic/anti-neoplastic at higher doses. Thioguanine is incorporated into human bone marrow cells, but like other thiopurines, it is not known to cross the blood-brain barrier.

How is cytarabine given?

Cytarabine may be given as an infusion into the vein (intravenous or IV). Another method it is given is by intrathecal infusion. This method is used when drugs need to reach the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) the fluid that is surrounding the brain and spinal cord, the drug is infused directly into the spinal fluid.

Are there any side effects to taking Depocyt?

Arachnoiditis is an expected and well-documented side effect of both neoplastic meningitis and of intrathecal chemotherapy. The incidence of severe and life-threatening arachnoiditis in patients receiving DepoCyt was 19% (48/257) in all patients and 30% (10/33) in patients with lymphomatous meningitis.

How is the injection of Depocyt done?

DepoCyt is administered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via an intraventricular reservoir or by direct injection into the lumbar sac. DepoCyt should be injected slowly over a period of 1-5 minutes. Following drug administration by lumbar puncture, the patient should be instructed to lie flat for 1 hour.

How often should I take Depocyt for lymphoma?

For the treatment of lymphomatous meningitis, DepoCyt 50 mg (one vial of DepoCyt) is recommended to be given according to the following schedule: Patients should be started on dexamethasone 4 mg twice a day either by mouth or intravenously for 5 days beginning on the day of DepoCyt injection.

Do you have to wear gloves when taking Depocyt?

DepoCyt is a cytotoxic anticancer drug and, as with other potentially toxic compounds, caution should be used in handling DepoCyt. The use of gloves is recommended.