HYDROXYUREA (HYDROXYCARBAMIDE)

Anticancer. It also prevents formation of sickle-shaped red blood cells

Dosage Forms

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Capsule

500 mg

Uses

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  • Chronic myeloid leukaemia
  • Cervical cancer
  • Reduce rate of painful attacks in sickle-cell disease
  • Polycythaemia

Dose and Duration

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Sickle-cell disease
Adult and child: Initially, 15 mg/kg daily, increased every 12 weeks in steps of 2.5−5 mg/kg daily according to response (maximum 35 mg/kg daily)
Chronic myeloid leukaemia
20−30 mg/kg daily or 80 mg/kg every third day
Cervical cancer (in combination with radiation)
20−30 mg/kg daily or 80 mg/kg every third day

Contraindications

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  • Severe leucopoenia
  • Thrombocytopenia
  • Severe anaemia
  • Hypersensitivity

Side Effects

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  • Myelosuppression
  • Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, anorexia
  • Mucositis, skin reactions
  • Skin cancer
  • Hallucination, disorientation
  • Convulsions, dizziness, somnolence, headache
  • Pulmonary fibrosis, oedema, dyspnoea
  • Pancreatitis
  • Dysuria
  • Increased blood creatinine, urea, uric acid
  • Fever, chills, malaise
  • Reduced sperm count

Interactions

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  • Antiretrovirals (can cause treatment failure and toxicities)
  • Live vaccines (risk of developing disease in vaccines)

Pregnancy

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  • Do not use

Breast-feeding

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  • Discontinue breastfeeding

⚠️ Caution

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  • Monitor renal and hepatic function before and during treatment
  • Monitor full blood count before treatment, then every 2 weeks for the first 2 months and then every 2 months thereafter
  • Interrupt therapy if the white cell count drops below 2.5x10⁹ L or the platelet count below 100x10⁹/L
  • Review treatment if leg ulcers develop