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Vincristine – Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Interaction

Vincristine Sulfate Liposome is a sphingomyelin/cholesterol liposomal formulation of vincristine sulfate with potential antineoplastic activity. Vincristine, a vinca alkaloid isolated from the plant Vinca rosea, irreversibly binds to and stabilizes tubulin, thereby interrupting microtubule assembly/disassembly dynamics, thereby preventing the formation of the mitotic spindle and leading to cell cycle arrest in metaphase. Liposomal encapsulation prolongs the bioavailability of vincristine, increases its delivery to tumor tissues, and reduces its toxicity profile. Compared to standard liposomal delivery, schistosomal drug delivery further increases the circulation time of serum drug and enhances drug accumulation at tumor sites, thereby leading to a further increase in efficacy.

Mechanism of Action

The antitumor activity of Vincristine is thought to be due primarily to the inhibition of mitosis at metaphase through its interaction with tubulin. Like other vinca alkaloids, Vincristine may also interfere with: 1) amino acid, cyclic AMP, and glutathione metabolism, 2) calmodulin-dependent Ca2+-transport ATPase activity, 3) cellular respiration, and 4) nucleic acid and lipid biosynthesis.

Vinca alkaloids are cell cycle-specific agents which block mitosis and produce metaphase arrest. The biological activities of these drugs can be explained by their ability to bind specifically tubulin, and to block the ability of the protein to polymerize into microtubules through disruption of microtubules of mitotic apparatus, cell division is arrested in metaphase. In absence of an intact mitotic spindle, chromosomes may disperse throughout the cytoplasm or may occur in unusual groupings inability to segregate chromosomes correctly during mitosis presumably leads to cellular death

Vincristine is a vinca alkaloid antineoplastic agent used as a treatment for various cancers including breast cancer, Hodgkin’s disease, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and testicular cancer. The vinca alkaloids are structurally similar compounds comprised of 2 multi ringed units, vindoline, and catharanthine. The vinca alkaloids have become clinically useful since the discovery of their antitumor properties in 1959. Initially, extracts of the periwinkle plant (Catharanthus roseus) were investigated because of putative hypoglycemic properties but were noted to cause marrow suppression in rats and antileukemic effects in vitro. Vincristine binds to the microtubular proteins of the mitotic spindle, leading to crystallization of the microtubule and mitotic arrest or cell death. Vincristine has some immunosuppressant effects. The vinca alkaloids are considered to be cell cycle phase-specific.

Indications

  • Treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, Wilms’ tumor, neuroblastoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma. Liposomal vincristine is indicated for the treatment of relapsed Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
  • Acute leukemia.
  • Hodgkin lymphoma.
  • Neuroblastoma.
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma.
  • Wilms tumor.
  • Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
  • Choriocarcinoma
  • Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
  • Ewing’s Sarcoma
  • Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
  • Hepatoblastomas
  • Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
  • Kaposi’s sarcoma
  • Lymphoma, Hodgkins
  • Multiple Myeloma (MM)
  • Neuroblastoma (NB)
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL)
  • Ovarian germ cell tumor
  • Pheochromocytomas
  • Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
  • Retinoblastoma
  • Rhabdomyosarcomas
  • Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
  • Wilms’ tumor
  • Advanced Thymoma

Vincristine is also sometimes used to treat certain types of brain tumors, certain types of lung cancer, multiple myeloma (a type of cancer of the bone marrow), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL; a type of cancer of the white blood cells), Kaposi’s sarcoma (a type of cancer that causes abnormal tissue to grow on different parts of the body) related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), Ewings sarcoma (a type of cancer in bones or muscle), and gestational trophoblastic tumors (a type of tumor that forms inside a woman’s uterus while she is pregnant). Vincristine is also sometimes used to treat thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TPP; a blood disorder that causes blood clots to form in small blood vessels in the body). Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition.

FDA Approved indications in pediatric patients:

  • Acute lymphocytic lymphoma (ALL)
  • Burkitt lymphoma and B-cell ALL
  • Hodgkin lymphoma
  • Neuroblastoma
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma
  • Wilms tumor

Off-label uses:

  • Ewing sarcoma
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Retinoblastoma

Use in Cancer

Etoposide phosphate is approved to be used with other drugs to treat:

Etoposide phosphate is also available in a different form called etoposide. For more information, see the Drug Information Summary for Etoposide.

Etoposide phosphate is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.

Contraindications

Vincristine use is contraindicated in patients with demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome. While documentation of allergenic cross-reactivity for drugs within this class is limited, cross-sensitivity cannot be ruled out due to the similarities in chemical structures and pharmacological actions.

  • anemia
  • decreased blood platelets
  • low levels of a type of white blood cell called neutrophils
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
  • generalized disorder of peripheral nerves
  • a painful condition that affects the nerves in the legs and arms called peripheral neuropathy
  • a disorder of the peripheral nerves that enable movement called peripheral motor neuropathy
  • a disease affecting muscles and nerves
  • abnormal liver function tests
  • pregnancy
  • a patient who is producing milk and breastfeeding

Experienced physician: Administration of vincristine should be by individuals with experience in administering the drug.

Extravasation: An Intravenous (IV) needle or catheter must be in proper position before infusion or injection of any of the medication. Improper positioning may lead to leakage into the surrounding tissue during IV administration. Leakage may cause considerable irritation. Therefore, injection or infusion must be discontinued immediately if extravasation occurs.

For IV use only: Vincristine is indicated for IV use only. It is fatal if given by any other routes. Vincristine administered by intrathecal routes usually results in death. Therefore, all syringes containing vincristine must be labeled and have the provided auxiliary sticker attached. The auxiliary label must state, ” For intravenous use only. Fatal if given by other routes.”

Dosage

Strengths: 1 mg/mL

Malignant Disease

  • Manufacturer suggested dose: 1.4 mg/m2 IV over one minute once a week
  • This dose is the manufacturer’s recommendation. It is only a guideline. The institutional protocol should be consulted.
  • The dose of this drug may depend upon the specific indication for its use, and whether other cytotoxic agents are coadministered. Subsequent doses may be determined by the clinical and hematologic response of the patient. Solid Tumors
  • Manufacturer suggested dose: 1.4 mg/m2 IV over one minute once a week

Pediatric Dose for Malignant Disease

Less than 18 years and less than or equal to 10 kg:

  • Initial dose: 0.05 mg/kg IV over one minute once a week
  • Maximum dose: 2 mg/m2 IV over one minute once a week
  • Less than 18 years and greater than 10 kg: 1 to 2 mg/m2 IV over one minute once a week
  • This dose is the manufacturer’s recommendation. It is only a guideline. The institutional protocol should be consulted.
  • The dose of this drug may depend upon the specific indication for its use, and whether other cytotoxic agents are coadministered. Subsequent doses may be determined by the clinical and hematologic response of the patient.

Pediatric Dose for Solid Tumors

Less than 18 years and less than or equal to 10 kg:

  • Initial dose: 0.05 mg/kg IV over one minute once a week
  • Maximum dose: 2 mg/m2 IV over one minute once a week
  • Less than 18 years and greater than 10 kg: 1 to 2 mg/m2 IV over one minute once a week

Side Effects

The Most Common

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • sores in the mouth and throat
  • loss of appetite or weight
  • stomach pain
  • diarrhea
  • headache
  • hair loss

More common

  • hives
  • rash
  • itching
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • constipation
  • increased or decreased urination
  • swelling of the face, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
  • unusual bleeding or bruising
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • pain, numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet
  • difficulty walking or unsteady walking
  • muscle or joint pain
  • sudden changes in vision, including loss of vision
  • hearing loss
  • dizziness
  • loss of the ability to move muscles and to feel a part of the body
  • hoarseness or loss of ability to speak loudly
  • seizures
  • jaw pain
  • fever, sore throat, chills, or other signs of infection

Rare

  • blurred or double vision
  • confusion
  • constipation
  • decrease or increase in urination
  • depression
  • dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up from a sitting or lying position
  • drooping eyelids
  • hallucinations
  • headache
  • hearing loss
  • jaw pain
  • joint pain
  • lack of perspiration
  • loss of appetite
  • lower back or side pain
  • numbness or tingling in fingers and toes
  • pain in fingers and toes
  • pain in testicles
  • painful or difficult urination
  • sleeping problems
  • sores in mouth and on lips
  • stomach cramps
  • swelling of feet or lower legs
  • weakness
  • unconsciousness

Drug Interaction

Pregnancy and Lactation

FDA Pregnancy category D

Pregnancy

There is a possibility of birth defect if either partner is using vincristine at the time of conception, or if it is taken during pregnancy. It may also harm the baby in other ways if used during pregnancy. Use effective birth control while you are taking this medication, and tell the doctor immediately if you become pregnant.

Breast-feeding

It is not known whether vincristine passes into breast milk. Because of the risk of harm to the infant, women should not breastfeed while receiving vincristine.

How should this medicine be used?

Vincristine comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected intravenously (into a vein) by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility. It is usually given once a week. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.

Your doctor may need to delay your treatment or change your dose if you experience certain side effects. It is important for you to tell your doctor how you are feeling during your treatment with a vincristine injection.

Your doctor may tell you to take a stool softener or laxative to help prevent constipation during your treatment with a vincristine injection.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before receiving vincristine,

  • tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to vincristine, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in vincristine injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
  • tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: aprepitant (Emend); carbamazepine (Tegretol); certain antifungals such as itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), voriconazole (Vfend), and posaconazole (Noxafil); clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac); darifenacin (Enablex); dexamethasone (Decadron); fesoterodine (Toviaz); HIV protease inhibitors including atazanavir (Reyataz), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), and saquinavir (Invirase); nefazodone; oxybutynin (Ditropan, Ditropan XL, Oxytrol); phenobarbital; phenytoin (Dilantin); rifabutin (Mycobutin); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); rifapentine (Priftin); solifenacin (Vesicare); telithromycin (Ketek); trospium (Sanctura); or tolterodine (Detrol, Detrol LA). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
  • tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John’s wort.
  • tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a disorder that affects your nerves. Your doctor may not want you to receive a vincristine injection.
  • tell your doctor if you are having or have ever had radiation (x-ray) therapy, if you have an infection, or if you have or have ever had lung or liver disease.
  • you should know that vincristine may interfere with the normal menstrual cycle (period) in women and may temporarily or permanently stop sperm production in men. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. You should not become pregnant or breastfeed while you are receiving a vincristine injection. If you become pregnant while receiving a vincristine injection, call your doctor. Vincristine may harm the fetus.

References

  1. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Vincristine
  2. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Vincristine-sulfate
  3. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682822.html
  4. https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00541
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537122/
  6. https://www.drugs.com/mtm/vincristine.html
  7. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/etoposidephosphate
  8. CAMEO Chemical Reactivity Classification
  9. CompTox Chemicals Dashboard Chemical Lists
  10. LICENSE
    The code for LOTUS is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0.
  11. Guide to Pharmacology Target Classification
  12. LICENSE
    Data: CC-BY 4.0; Code (hosted by ECI, LCSB): Artistic-2.0
    NORMAN Suspect List Exchange Classification
  13. LICENSE
    The content of the MoNA database is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  14. PubChem
  15. Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  16. Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification
    Target-based classification of drugs
  17. NCBI

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