Procarbazine Description

Generic Name : PROCARBAZINE

Pronunciation : (proe kar' ba zeen)

Trade Name(s) : Oncocarbin

Why it is prescribed: Procarbazine is used in combination with other chemotherapies to treat Hodgkin's disease. Hodgkin's disease is a cancer of the lymph nodes.

When it is to be taken: Procarbazine is available only with your doctor's prescription, in oral dosage form.

How it should be taken: The dose of procarbazine will be different for different patients. The dose that is used may depend on a number of things, including what the medicine is being used for, the patient's weight, and whether or not other medicines are also being taken. If you are taking procarbazine at home, follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . If you have any questions about the proper dose of procarbazine, ask your doctor.

Special Instruction :
1. It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.
2. Check with your doctor or hospital emergency room immediately if severe headache, stiff neck, chest pains, fast heartbeat, or nausea and vomiting occur while you are taking this medicine. These may be symptoms of a serious high blood pressure reaction that should have a doctor's attention.
3. When taken with certain foods, drinks, or other medicines, procarbazine can cause very dangerous reactions such as sudden high blood pressure.
4. Do not eat foods that have a high tyramine content, such as cheeses, yeast or meat extracts, broad bean pods, smoked or pickled meat, poultry, or fish, fermented sausage (bologna, pepperoni, salami, and summer sausage) or other non fresh meat, or any overripe fruit. If a list of these foods and beverages is not given to you, ask your health care professional to provide one.

Side Effects :
1. Neuropathy, confusion, cough, swelling, nausea, and vomiting are the most common side effects.
2. Procarbazine should not be used for treatment if pregnant or breast feeding, if alcoholism, severe kidney or liver impairment are problems, or at the same time as meperidine.
3. CNS depression is possible if procarbazine is used with alcohol, antidepressants, antihistamines, narcotic pain killers and sedatives.
4. Eating foods high in tyramine may result in abnormally high blood pressure. Foods high in tyramine include aged cheeses, avocados, bananas, beer, caffeinated beverages, chocolate, sausages, liver, over-ripe fruit, red wine, smoked or pickled fish, yeast, and yogurt.

Other Precautions :
1. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or alcohol-free or reduced-alcohol beer or wine.
2. Do not eat or drink large amounts of caffeine-containing food or beverages, such as chocolate, coffee, tea, or cola.
3. Do not take any other medicine unless approved or prescribed by your doctor. This especially includes over-the-counter (OTC) or nonprescription medicine such as that for colds (including nose drops or sprays), cough, asthma, hay fever, appetite control; "keep awake" products; or products that make you sleepy.

Storage Conditions :
1. Keep out of the reach of children.
2. Store away from heat and direct light.
3. Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
4. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
5. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.