Treanda

Treanda

Generic Name: bendamustine (BEN da MUS teen)

Brand Names: Treanda

What is Treanda?

Treanda (bendamustine) is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body.

Treanda is used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia. It is also used to treat indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma after other medications have been tried without successful treatment of this condition.

Treanda may also be used for other purposes not listed here.

Important information about Treanda

You should not receive Treanda if you are allergic to bendamustine or mannitol (Osmitrol). Do not receive Treanda if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

Before you receive Treanda, tell your doctor if you have a weak immune system, fever or other signs of infection, a metabolic disorder or electrolyte imbalance, liver or kidney disease, or if you smoke.

Tell your caregiver right away if you have a fever, chills, itching, or skin rash during or shortly after the Treanda injection.

Other serious side effects to tell your doctor about include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, feeling short of breath, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, severe skin rash, weak pulse, muscle weakness, fast or slow heart rate, confusion, lower back pain, blood in your urine, urinating less than usual, or swelling, redness, or signs of where Treanda was injected.

To be sure Treanda is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested often. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

Before receiving Treanda

You should not receive Treanda if you are allergic to bendamustine or mannitol (Osmitrol).

To make sure you can safely receive Treanda, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

a weak immune system;

fever or other signs of infection;

a metabolic disorder or electrolyte imbalance;

liver disease;

kidney disease; or

if you smoke.

FDA pregnancy category D. Do not receive Treanda if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether bendamustine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not receive Treanda without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

See also: Treanda pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

Some people receiving Treanda have developed certain types of cancers. It is not known whether this medication causes cancer. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using Treanda.

How is Treanda given?

Treanda is injected into a vein through an IV. You will receive this injection in a clinic or hospital setting. Treanda must be given slowly, and the IV infusion can take at least 30 minutes to complete.

Treanda is usually given for 2 days in a row every 21 to 28 days. You may receive up to 8 treatments total, depending on the condition being treated. Follow your doctor's instructions.

You may be given other medications to help prevent certain side effects of Treanda.

Tell your caregivers if you feel any burning, pain, or swelling around the IV needle when the medicine is injected.

To be sure Treanda is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested often. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be tested. Visit your doctor regularly.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your Treanda injection.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, tremors, slow or shallow breathing, loss of balance or coordination, or seizure (convulsions).

What should I avoid while receiving Treanda?

Treanda may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Treanda side effects

Some people receiving a Treanda injection have had a reaction to the infusion (when the medicine is injected into the vein). Tell your caregiver right away if you have fever, chills, itching, or skin rash during or shortly after the injection. Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Treanda: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Tell your caregivers at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat;

pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating;

easy bruising or bleeding, purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin, unusual weakness;

cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat;

lower back pain, blood in your urine, urinating less than usual or not at all;

numbness or tingly feeling around your mouth;

muscle weakness, tightness, or contraction, overactive reflexes;

fast or slow heart rate, weak pulse, confusion;

dry mouth, feeling very thirsty or hot, heavy sweating or hot and dry skin;

severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or

pain, swelling, redness, skin changes, or signs of infection where the medicine was injected.

Less serious Treanda side effects may include:

mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or upset stomach;

swelling in your hands or feet;

headache, dizziness, drowsiness;

loss of appetite, weight loss; or

mild skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: Treanda side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect Treanda?

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:

allopurinol (Zyloprim);

carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol);

cimetidine (Tagamet);

ciprofloxacin (Cipro);

fluvoxamine (Luvox);

omeprazole (Prilosec);

thiabendazole (Mintezol); or

a barbiturate such as butabarbital (Butisol), secobarbital (Seconal), phenobarbital (Solfoton), and others.

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with Treanda. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

More Treanda resources

Treanda Side Effects (in More Detail)

Treanda Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Treanda Drug Interactions

Treanda Support Group

0 Reviews for Treanda - Add your own review/rating

Treanda Prescribing Information (FDA)

Treanda Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

Treanda MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Compare Treanda with other medications

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about Treanda.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.