How does it work?

Altretamine is an anticancer (cytotoxic) medicine. Cancers form when some cells within the body multiply uncontrollably and abnormally. There are two types of cancer. Solid cancers where a lump forms e.g. the bone, muscle, brain cells etc. divide and multiply abnormally. The second type are leukaemias and lymphomas where the blood cells divide and multiply abnormally. Other characteristics of cancer besides uncontrolled growth include the ability of these abnormal cells to invade other tissues next to them or to break away from the original site, travel through the blood or lymph, and establish a new cancer at a different site of the body. These are called metastases. Like normal healthy cells, cancer cells go through a continuous process of change. Each cell divides into two daughter cells. These cells grow, rest and then divide again. The medicines used in chemotherapy are powerful chemicals designed to interupt this cycle and stop cells from growing. Several different types of anticancer medicines are used in chemotherapy. Each type kills cells at a different stage of the cell's life cycle. Each does its job in a different way. The exact mechanism by which altretamine kills cancer cells is unknown. It does need to be broken down into a different compound by the liver for it to work. Once this has happened it may interfere with the way new genetic material (DNA) is made by the cell. Unfortunately, anticancer medicines will also affect the growth and division of normal, healthy cells in the same way, such as blood, gut and hair cells. This can therefore cause several of the side effects seen with chemotherapy e.g. hair loss. The body's immune system also becomes suppressed increasing the risk of infections. In most chemotherapy regimens, doses are administered in courses at various intervals to allow normal cells to recover from the adverse effects of the anticancer medicines between doses. However, during this period, cancer cells will also recover and start to replicate again. Successful treatment depends on the administration of the next course of therapy before the cancer has regrown to its previous size and the net effect is to decrease the amount of cancer with each successive course. Altretamine is only administered orally.

What is it used for?

Advanced ovarian cancer in which other treatments have failed

Warning!

People taking this medicine should have regular blood tests to monitor their kidney and liver function.

People taking this medicine should have regular blood tests to check the levels of their blood components.

Regular examination of the nervous system (neurological function) is recommended

Use with caution in

Decreased kidney function

Decreased liver function

Not to be used in

Allergy to any of the active ingredients

Severe myelosuppression (reduction in blood cell production in the bone marrow)

Severe toxicity to the nervous system (including the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves)

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

This medicine should not be used in pregnancy. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

This medicine should not be used by breastfeeding mothers. Discuss this with your doctor.

Label warnings

Take this medication with or after food.

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