The drug is intended only for adults.
Irinotecan is administered as an intravenous infusion lasting at least 30 minutes and not more than 90 minutes.
When choosing a dose and mode of administration in each individual case, you should refer to the special literature.
In the monotherapy regime: Irynotekan applied at a dose of 350 mg / m2 every 3 weeks.
As part of combined chemotherapy the dose of irinotecan is:
- with fluorouracil and calcium folinate with weekly administration of 80 mg / m2,
- when administered by continuous infusion once every 2 weeks - 180 mg / m2;
- in combination with jet infusion of fluorouracil and calcium folinate - 125 mg / m2 weekly.
Doses and administration of fluorouracil and calcium folinate are described in detail in the literature.
Irinotecan should not be administered until the amount of neutrophils in the peripheral blood exceeds 1500 cells / μl, and until such complications as nausea, vomiting and especially diarrhea are completely eliminated.The administration of the drug before the resolution of all side effects can be postponed for 1-2 weeks.
When the development of treatment with expressed inhibition of bone marrow hematopoiesis (the number of neutrophils is less than 500 / μL, and / or the number of leukocytes is less than 1000 / μL, and / or the number of platelets is less than 100,000 / μl), febrile neutropenia (neutrophil count 1000 / μL of blood and less in combined with an increase in body temperature of more than 38 ° C), infectious complications, severe diarrhea, or other non-hematological toxicity of 3-4 degrees, subsequent doses of irinotecan and if necessary fluorouracil should be reduced by 15-20%.
Patients with a violation of the liver. At a level of bilirubin in the blood serum exceeding the upper limit of the norm no more than 1.5 times, in connection with an increased risk of development of severe neutropenia, blood parameters in the patient should be closely monitored. With an increase in the level of bilirubin by more than 1.5 times - treatment with irinotecan should be discontinued.
Patients with impaired renal function. Treatment with irinotecan is not recommended, as there is no data on the use of irinotecan in this category of patients.
Elderly patients. There are no specific instructions for the use of irinotecan in the elderly. The dose of the drug in each case should be selected with caution.
Instructions for preparing a solution for infusions
The necessary amount of the preparation should be diluted in 250 ml of a 0.5% solution of dextrose or 0.9% sodium chloride solution and the resulting solution is mixed by rotating the vial. Before administration, the solution should be visually inspected for clarity. In case of a sediment, the drug must be destroyed.
The solution should be used immediately after dilution.
If dilution is carried out in accordance with aseptic rules (for example, laminar air flow), the irinotecan solution may be used, for storage at room temperature, for 12 hours (including infusion time) and, if stored at 2-8 ° C C, within 24 hours after opening the vial with concentrate.