Tretinoin

Tretinoin is used to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL; a type of cancer in which there are too many immature blood cells in the blood and bone marrow) in people who have not been helped by other types of chemotherapy or whose condition has improved but then worsened following treatment with other types of chemotherapy. Tretinoin is used to produce remission (a decrease or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer) of APL, but other medications must be used after treatment with tretinoin to prevent the cancer from returning. Tretinoin is in a class of medications called retinoids. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells by causing immature blood cells to develop into normal blood cells.

Tretinoin comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken twice a day for up to 90 days. Take tretinoin at around the same times every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take tretinoin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Continue to take tretinoin even if you feel well. Do not stop taking tretinoin without talking to your doctor.

<p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Tretinoin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

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weakness</li>
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extreme tiredness</li>
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shivering</li>
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pain</li>
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earache</li>
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feeling of fullness in the ears</li>
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dry skin</li>
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rash</li>
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hair loss</li>
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constipation</li>
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diarrhea</li>
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stomach pain</li>
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heartburn</li>
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loss of appetite</li>
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weight loss</li>
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bone pain</li>
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dizziness</li>
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numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet</li>
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nervousness</li>
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depression</li>
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difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep</li>
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confusion</li>
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agitation</li>
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hallucinating (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist)</li>
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difficulty urinating</li>
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flushing</li></ul></p> <p></p> <p>Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

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headache</li>
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nausea</li>
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vomiting</li>
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blurred or double vision, or other vision problems</li>
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unusual bruising or bleeding</li>
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vomit that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds</li>
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bright red or black and tarry stools</li>
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irregular heartbeat</li>
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hearing loss</li>
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bleeding</li>
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infections</li></ul>Tretinoin may increase the levels of cholesterol and other fats in your blood and may stop your liver from working normally. Your doctor will monitor you carefully to see whether you are experiencing either of these side effects.Tretinoin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at <a href='http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch'>http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch</a>] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].</p>

Before taking tretinoin, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to tretinoin, other retinoids such as acitretin (Soriatane), etretinate (Tegison), bexarotene, or isotretinoin (Accutane, Claravis, Sotret), any other medications, parabens (a preservative), or any of the other ingredients in tretinoin capsules. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: aminocaproic acid (Amicar); certain calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others) and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan); cimetidine (Tagamet); cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Gengraf, Neoral); erythromycin (E.E.S., Erythrocin, E-Mycin); hydroxyurea (Droxia); ketoconazole (Nizoral); pentobarbital; phenobarbital; rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane);oral steroids such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Dexone), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and prednisone (Deltasone); tetracycline antibiotics such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Monodox, Vibramycin, others), minocycline (Minocin), oxytetracycline (Terramycin), and tetracycline (Sumycin, Tetrex, others); tranexamic acid (Cyklokapron); and vitamin A. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with tretinoin, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had increased amounts of cholesterol (a fat-like substance) and other fatty substances in the blood, or liver or heart disease. if you will be having surgery, including dental surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking tretinoin. you should know that tretinoin may cause dizziness or severe headache.Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911. Symptoms of overdose may include:

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headache</li>
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flushing</li>
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red, cracked, and sore lips</li>
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stomach pain</li>
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dizziness</li>
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loss of coordination</li></ul>