In the U.S.—

• Chelating agent

Dexrazoxane ( dex-ray-ZOKS-ane) is used to help prevent or lessen a toxic effect to your heart that is caused by certain medicines that are used to treat cancer.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form(s):

Parenteral
• Injection (U.S.)

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For dexrazoxane, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to dexrazoxane.

Pregnancy—Dexrazoxane has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that dexrazoxane causes birth defects. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether dexrazoxane passes into the breast milk. However, dexrazoxane is not recommended during breast-feeding, because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing infants.

Children—Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of dexrazoxane in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults—Many medicine have not been studies specifically on older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing the use of dexrazoxane in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking dexrazoxane, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir)—Dexrazoxane may increase the effects of these medicines on the blood

Dosing—

The dose of dexrazoxane will be different for different patients. The dose that is used may depend on a number of things, including your size and the dose of the cancer medicine being used with dexrazoxane. If you have any questions about the proper dose of dexrazoxane, ask your doctor.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if the following side effect occurs:

• Less common
  • Pain at place of injection 
  
  

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.