What is altretamine, and what is it used for?
Altretamine is an oral drug that is used to treat ovarian cancer. The precise mechanism by which altretamine exerts its anti-cancer effect is unknown. It was approved by the FDA in 1990.
What brand names are available for altretamine?
Hexalen
Is altretamine available as a generic drug?
No.
Do I need a prescription for altretamine?
Yes.
What are the side effects of altretamine?
Common side effects are:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Peripheral neuropathy (abnormal function of the sensory nerves of the arms and legs giving rise to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, etc.) and central nervous system symptoms (mood disorders, disorders of consciousness, ataxia)
- dizziness, and
- vertigo.
What is the dosage for altretamine?
The dose of altretamine is 260 mg/square meter/day. Altretamine may be taken either for 14 or 21 consecutive days as part of one or more 28 day cycles. The total daily dose generally is split into four oral doses, one oral dose after each meal and at bedtime.
Is altretamine safe to take if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
It is not known whether altretamine is secreted in human milk. Since altretamine may be toxic to nursing infants,
breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with altretamine.
What else should I know about altretamine?
What preparations of altretamine are available?
Capsules of 50 mg.
How should I keep altretamine stored?
Capsules should be stored at room temperature, 15 C to 30 C (59 F to 86 F).
White blood cell counts and platelet counts may drop with altretamine treatment, increasing the risk of infection and bleeding, respectively.