Cladribine (Intravenous)
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 20, 2022.
Cladribine injection should be administered under the supervision of a qualified physician experienced in the use of antineoplastic therapy. Suppression of bone marrow function should be anticipated. This is usually reversible and appears to be dose dependent. Serious neurological toxicity (including irreversible paraparesis and quadriparesis) has been reported in patients who received cladribine injection by continuous infusion at high doses (4 to 9 times the recommended dose for hairy cell leukemia). Neurologic toxicity appears to demonstrate a dose relationship; however, severe neurological toxicity has been reported rarely following treatment with standard cladribine dosing regimens. Acute nephrotoxicity has been observed with high doses of cladribine (4 to 9 times the recommended dose for hairy cell leukemia), especially when given concomitantly with other nephrotoxic agents/therapies
Commonly used brand name(s)
In the U.S.
- Leustatin
Available Dosage Forms:
- Solution
Therapeutic Class: Antineoplastic Agent
Pharmacologic Class: Antimetabolite
Chemical Class: Purine Nucleoside Analog
Uses for cladribine
Cladribine belongs to the group of medicines called antimetabolites. It is used to treat hairy cell leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It is also sometimes used to treat other kinds of cancer, as determined by your doctor.
Cladribine interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed. Since the growth of normal body cells may also be affected by cladribine, other effects will also occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. Other effects may not be serious but may cause concern. Some effects may not occur for months or years after the medicine is used.
Before you begin treatment with cladribine, you and your doctor should talk about the good cladribine will do as well as the risks of using it.
Cladribine is to be administered only by or under the immediate supervision of your doctor.
Before using cladribine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For cladribine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to cladribine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
There is no specific information comparing use of cladribine in children with use in other age groups. However, cladribine has been reported to be tested in children with certain types of cancers of the blood.
Geriatric
Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of cladribine in the elderly with use in other age groups, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does i..
