Health Centres - Navelbine (vinorelbine)
How does it work?
Navelbine injection and capsules both contain the active ingredient vinorelbine, which is a chemotherapy medicine used to treat cancer. (NB Vinorelbine injection is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.)
Cancers form when some cells within the body multiply uncontrollably and abnormally. These cells spread, destroying nearby tissues. Vinorelbine works by stopping the cancer cells from multiplying.
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 and multiplying.
Vinorelbine belongs to a group of chemotherapy medicines called vinca alkaloids. These work by preventing the cancer cells from entering the dividing stage (mitosis) of their life cycle. This stops the cells from multiplying.
Unfortunately, vinorelbine can also affect normal, healthy cells, particularly those that multiply quickly, such as blood cells and hair cells. The most important side effect is on the bone marrow where blood cells are made. Vinorelbine can decrease the production of blood cells, leaving people susceptible to infection. Regular blood tests are therefore needed to monitor the levels of blood cells.
In most chemotherapy regimens, doses are administered in courses at various intervals to allow normal cells to recover from the adverse effects of the chemotherapy 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. The aim is to decrease the amount of cancer with each successive course.
Vinorelbine is used to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer and advanced breast cancer. The medicine may be given by a drip into a vein, or by mouth as capsules.
What is it used for?
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Advanced breast cancer that has not responded to, or has relapsed following, treatment with a chemotherapy regimen containing an anthracycline, eg epirubicin.
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Advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
Warning!
- Vinorelbine injection must ONLY be given by a drip into a vein (intravenous infusion). The injection MUST NOT be administered into the spinal cord (intrathecal injection), as this is likely to be fatal.
- Vinorelbine injection can cause irritation in the vein used for the injection and for this reason the vein will be flushed with fluid after the medicine has been administered. If you feel any pain or irritation while the medicine is being administered you should let the doctor or nurse know, as this can be reduced if more fluid is flushed through with the medicine.
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