Daunorubicin is used with other anti-cancer medicines to treat leukaemia.
Daunorubicin is to be given intravenously (into the vein). It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.
Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.
Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any dose.
If you miss an appointment with your doctor, arrange for a replacement appointment as soon as possible.
DO NOT double a dose under any circumstances.
Alert your doctor if you have the following:
- received and reached the total recommended dose for Daunorubicin (this total dose includes similar medicine such as doxorubicin or idarubicin)
- recently exposed to or with existing chicken pox
- bone marrow suppression
- severe infection
- severe liver disease
- severe kidney disease
- heart disease ( e.g. recent heart attack, severe irregular heartbeat, heart failure)
as Daunorubicin may not be suitable for you.
Do not use this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
Let your doctor know if you are pregnant.
Keep your appointments with your doctor. You will need to have regular blood tests to check your blood counts as well as your liver and kidney function. You may also need to go for electrocardiogram (ECG) or echocardiogram to check how well your heart is functioning. Your doctor will advise you on how often you will need to have these tests.
Daunorubicin may cause you to feel dizzy or weak. If affected, do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert.
Daunorubicin may cause damage to the heart muscle. This side effect can occur early during the treatment or within 2-3 months after the last dose of this medicine . Some have occurred months to years after completion of treatment. Inform your doctor quickly if you have irregular heartbeat, are overly tired, have shortness of breath even when resting or doing simple daily activities, have swollen ankles or feet or have gained weight due to water retention.
Daunorubicin may cause the level of your white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets to drop.
White blood cells help your body to fight infections. A fall in the level of your white blood cells may put you at higher risk for infections, such as coughs, colds and flu, which may lead to more serious infections. Avoid crowded places and people who are sick. Alert your doctor if you have a fever, or a cough or flu that does not go away.
Red blood cells carry oxygen around your body. A fall in the level of red blood cells may make you feel tired and worn out.
Platelets help your blood to clot when there is a cut in the skin. A fall in the level of your platelets may put you at risk of bleeding more than usual. Do not take part in activities where you may fall or get injured, such as contact sports. Alert your doctor if you get any unusual bruising (large bruises or several bruises, especially if the bruises appeared on their own) or bleeding that takes a long time to stop (for example, too much bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth).
Daunorubicin may cause the vein at the injection site to swell and become painful. Inform doctor immediately if you experience any stinging or burning sensation along the vein. Accidental leakage of Daunorubicin this medicine onto skin may cause skin injury. Alert your doctor quickly if it occurs.
Other side effects include any of the following: mouth sores, nausea, vomiting, change in colour of nail beds, change in colour of urine (red), hair loss, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, constipation, itch and rash. Daunorubicin may trigger skin reaction previously caused by radiotherapy.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- swelling of the lips, tounge, throat, hands or feet
- seizures, spasms, irregular heartbeat
- flank pain, blood in urine
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any of these medicines:
- vaccines e.g. flu vaccine, hepatitis vaccine, chicken pox vaccine
- medicines for heart disease e.g. digoxin, dipyridamole, quinidine, nicardipine
- medicines for epilepsy (seizure or fits) e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine
- medicines for HIV and hepatitis e.g. ritonavir, telaprevir
- other medicines for cancer e.g. tamoxifen, vinblastine, docetaxel
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Daunorubicin.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
As the storage temperatures are product specific, please check with your healthcare professional on how it should be stored.
Keep away from the reach of children.
Store Daunorubicin in its original carton to protect from light.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
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