Totect

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Treatment & Uses
Side Effects
Treating Overdose
Safety Information
Before Using

Generic Name: dexrazoxane (dex ray ZOX ane)
Brand Names: Totect, Zinecard

What is Totect?

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Totect is used to protect the heart from harmful side effects caused by doxorubicin (Adriamycin).

Totect is used in women who are receiving doxorubicin for metastatic breast cancer.

Totect may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Totect

You should not receive Totect if your chemotherapy does not include doxorubicin or a similar medication such as daunorubicin (Cerubidine), epirubicin (Ellence), idarubicin (Idamycin), or mitoxantrone (Novantrone).

Before you receive Totect, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney disease. You may need dose adjustments or special tests during treatment.

Tell your doctor at once if you have serious side effects such as fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, easy bruising or bleeding, weakness, or white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving Totect?

You should not receive Totect if your chemotherapy does not include doxorubicin or a similar medication such as:

daunorubicin (Cerubidine);
epirubicin (Ellence);
idarubicin (Idamycin); or
mitoxantrone (Novantrone);

Before you receive Totect, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney disease. You may need dose adjustments or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. Totect may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Totect passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not receive this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How is Totect given?

Totect is given as an injection through a needle placed into a vein. You will receive this injection in a clinic or cancer treatment setting. Totect is usually given 30 minutes before your dose of doxorubicin.

Totect can add to the bone marrow lowering effects of chemotherapy. This can weaken your immune system, making it easier for you to get sick from being around others who are ill.

To be sure your blood cells do not get too low, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your kidney function may also need to be checked with urine tests. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since Totect is given by a healthcare professional as part of your chemotherapy treatment, it is not likely that you will miss a dose.

Call your doctor if you miss a chemotherapy appointment.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have received too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of a Totect overdose are not known.

What should I avoid after receiving Totect?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity after you receive Totect.

Totect side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Tell your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
easy bruising or bleeding, weakness; or
white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips.

Less serious Totect side effects may include:

hair loss;
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite;
tired feeling;
pain where the medicine is injected;

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Totect?

Some cancer medications may be less effective if they are used with Totect. Tell your doctor if your chemotherapy medications include:

fluorouracil (5-FU, Adrucil);
cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Totect. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about Totect.

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.