Although vincristine has been reported to be less myelosuppressive than other chemotherapeutic drugs, and it is used in combination with other drugs, recent reports have documented moderate to severe myelosuppression after vincristine therapy.

Does vincristine cause bone marrow suppression?

v Bone marrow suppression is when the bone marrow cannot make enough red cells, white cells, or platelets to keep up with demand, and this is a side effect of most chemotherapy medications, including vincristine.

What are the side effects of vincristine?

Vincristine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• nausea.
• vomiting.
• sores in the mouth and throat.
• loss of appetite or weight.
• stomach pain.
• diarrhea.
• headache.
• hair loss.

Does vinblastine cause myelosuppression?

Myelosuppression and neurotoxicity are the main dose-limiting effects of vinblastine. Hyperuricemia during periods of active cell lysis, which is caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy of highly proliferative tumours of massive burden (e.g. some leukemias and lymphomas), can be minimized with allopurinol and hydration.

What are the long term side effects of vincristine?

With continued treatment, neuritic pain and later, motor difficulties may occur. Loss of deep-tendon reflexes, foot drop, wrist drop, ataxia, and paralysis have been reported with continued administration.

Is vincristine an immunosuppressive?

The immunosuppressive effect of vincristine on allostimulatory potential of human dendritic cells interferes with their function and survival. Int J Oncol.

Does vincristine cause neutropenia?

Background: Neutropenia is an adverse effect of vincristine when used in multidrug chemotherapy protocols.

When do vincristine side effects start?

This effect may occur within minutes to several hours after vincristine is given and up to 2 weeks after the dose of mitomycin-C. Get medical help right away if you have shortness of breath or coughing.

What does vincristine do to cells?

How it works. Vincristine is a chemotherapy drug that belongs to a group of drugs called vinca alkaloids. Vincristine works by stopping the cancer cells from separating into 2 new cells. So, it stops the growth of the cancer.

Which side effect would the nurse assess for in a child receiving vincristine?

Assess for paresthesia (numbness, tingling, pain, burning sensation), loss of deep tendon reflexes (Achilles reflex is usually first involved), weakness (wrist drop or footdrop, gait disturbances), cranial nerve palsies (jaw pain, hoarseness, ptosis, visual changes), arthralgia, myalgia, muscle spasm, autonomic

What is vincristine biology?

Vincristine, also known as leurocristine and marketed under the brand name Oncovin among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of types of cancer. This includes acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, neuroblastoma, and small cell lung cancer among others.

Are vincristine and vinblastine the same?

Vinblastine and vincristine are very similar alkaloids. The difference is that vincristine has CHO connected to N, whereas vinblastine in the same situation has only CO₃. This synthetic structural differences influence their activity.

How does vincristine affect mitosis?

Both vincristine and vinblastine bind to the microtubular proteins of the mitotic spindle and prevent cell division during the anaphase of mitosis. They arrest mitosis and cause cell death. The drugs are therefore M-phase cell-cycle specific and their effects are therefore limited to dividing cells.

Is vincristine a strong chemo drug?

Vincristine is an anti-cancer (“antineoplastic” or “cytotoxic”) chemotherapy drug. Vincristine is classified as a plant alkaloid.

Can vincristine cause pancreatitis?

There are few reports of the association of pancreatitis and the use of vincristine alone [24]. It has been demonstrated in mice, that vinca alkaloids alone are able to cause degeneration of acinar cells of the pancreas [25].

Can vincristine cause stomach pain?

Vincristine can cause serious constipation, abdominal pain and can even lead to a blockage or stoppage of the bowel (called paralytic ileus) if not treated promptly. There are several things you can do to prevent or relieve constipation.