Generic Name: vandetanib (van DET a nib)
Brand Names:
What is vandetanib?
Vandetanib is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their spread in the body.
Vandetanib is used to treat thyroid cancer.
Vandetanib may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about vandetanib?
Do not use vandetanib if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.
Before you take vandetanib, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, heart rhythm disorder, seizures, skin problems, severe diarrhea, breathing problems, recent stomach or intestinal bleeding, a family history of Long QT syndrome, or low levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium in your blood.
There are many other drugs that can interact with vandetanib. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested often. Your heart rate may also need to be checked using an electrocardiograph or ECG (sometimes called an EKG). If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using vandetanib. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time. Do not stop taking this medication unless your doctor tells you to. If you stop taking vandetanib for longer than 2 weeks for any reason, do not start taking it again without your doctor's advice.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking vandetanib?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to it, or if you have a history of Long QT syndrome.
To make sure you can safely take vandetanib, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
liver or kidney disease;
high blood pressure, heart disease, heart rhythm disorder;
a family history of Long QT syndrome;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
low levels of calcium, magnesium, or potassium in your blood;
skin problems;
severe diarrhea;
a history of breathing problems; or
recent stomach or intestinal bleeding.
Vandetanib is available only under a special program. You must be registered in the program and sign documents stating that you understand the risks and benefits of taking this medication.
FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use vandetanib if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Use effective birth control while you are using this medication and for at least 4 months after your treatment ends. It is not known whether vandetanib passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are taking vandetanib.
How should I take vandetanib?
Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
You may take vandetanib with or without food.
Vandetanib is usually taken once per day. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.
Do not crush a vandetanib tablet. Swallow the pill whole. Crushing the pill may cause your body to absorb too much of the drug at one time. The medicine from a crushed or broken pill can be dangerous if it gets on your skin. If this occurs, wash your skin with soap and water and rinse thoroughly.
To make swallowing easier, place the tablet into a glass of water (2 ounces) and allow the tablet to disperse in the water. The tablet will not dissolve completely. Drink this mixture right away. To make sure you get the entire dose, add a little more liquid to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right away.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested often. Your heart rate may also need to be checked using an electrocardiograph or ECG (sometimes called an EKG). Visit your doctor regularly. If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using vandetanib. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time. Do not stop taking this medication unless your doctor tells you to. If you stop taking vandetanib for longer than 2 weeks for any reason, do not start taking it again without your doctor's advice. Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
See also: Vandetanib dosage (in more detail)
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if your next dose is less than 12 hours away. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include severe forms of some of the side effects listed in this medication guide.
What should I avoid while taking vandetanib?
This medication may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Vandetanib can make you sunburn more easily, for up to 4 months after you stop taking the medicine. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.
Vandetanib side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using vandetanib and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
slow healing of a wound or surgical incision;
severe dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeats;
fever, chest pain, dry cough, wheezing, trouble breathing;
feeling short of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling, rapid weight gain;
chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder;
severe or ongoing diarrhea;
black, bloody, or tarry stools;
coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
confusion, vision problems, headache, seizure (convulsions), problems with thinking;
sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden headache, confusion, problems with speech or balance;
thyroid symptoms -- extreme tired feeling, dry skin, joint pain or stiffness, muscle pain or weakness, hoarse voice, feeling more sensitive to cold temperatures, weight gain; or
severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.
Less serious side effects may include:
mild feeling tired;
headache;
mild nausea or stomach pain;
diarrhea;
mild skin rash; or
acne.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Vandetanib Dosing Information
Usual Adult Dose for Thyroid Cancer:
Initial dose: 300 mg orally once daily. Treatment should continue until the patient no longer benefits from therapy or unacceptable toxicity occurs.
What other drugs will affect vandetanib?
Many drugs can interact with vandetanib. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:
arsenic trioxide (Trisenox);
bosentan (Tracleer);
dexamethasone (Cortastat, Dexasone, Solurex, DexPak);
St. John's wort;
tacrolimus (Prograf);
an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam), rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate), or rifapentine (Priftin);
an antidepressant such as amitriptylline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), clomipramine (Anafranil), or desipramine (Norpramin);
anti-malaria medications such as chloroquine (Aralen) or mefloquine (Lariam);
a barbiturate such as butabarbital (Butisol), secobarbital (Seconal), pentobarbital (Nembutal), or phenobarbital (Solfoton);
heart rhythm medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), dofetilide (Tikosyn), disopyramide (Norpace), dronedarone (Multaq), ibutilide (Corvert), procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl), propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine (Quin-G), or sotalol (Betapace);
HIV medication such as efavirenz (Sustiva, Atripla), etravirine (Intelence), nevirapine (Viramune), or ritonavir (Norvir, Kaletra);
medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting such as dolasetron (Anzemet), droperidol (Inapsine), or ondansetron (Zofran);
medicines to treat narcolepsy, such as armodafinil (Nuvigil) or modafinil (Progivil);
medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (FazaClo, Clozaril), haloperidol (Haldol), pimozide (Orap), thioridazine (Mellaril), or ziprasidone (Geodon);
migraine headache medicine such as sumatriptan (Imitrex, Treximet) or zolmitriptan (Zomig);
narcotic medication such as methadone (Methadose, Diskets, Dolophine); or
seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenytoin (Dilantin), or primidone (Mysoline).
This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with vandetanib. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.
More vandetanib resources
- Vandetanib Side Effects (in more detail)
- Vandetanib Dosage
- Vandetanib Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Vandetanib Drug Interactions
- Vandetanib Support Group
- 0 Reviews for Vandetanib - Add your own review/rating
- vandetanib Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information
- Vandetanib Prescribing Information (FDA)
- Vandetanib Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)
- Vandetanib MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
Compare vandetanib with other medications
- Thyroid Cancer
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist can provide more information about vandetanib.
See also: vandetanib side effects (in more detail)
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