Drugs Xagena
The health care professionals have been informed of the risk of severe cutaneous reactions associated with the use of Capecitabine ( Xeloda ).
Xeloda is authorized for the following indications:
a) Colorectal cancer: Adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III ( Dukes’ stage C ) colon cancer; first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer; treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with Oxaliplatin, following failure of Irinotecan-containing combination chemotherapy.
b) Breast cancer: Treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer, in combination with Docetaxel, after failure of prior anthracycline containing chemotherapy; treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer after failure of standard therapy including a taxane, unless therapy with a taxane is clinically contraindicated.
Very rare cases of severe cutaneous reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome ( SJS ) and toxic epidermal necrolysis ( TEN ), in some cases with fatal outcome, have been reported during treatment with Capecitabine.
Capecitabine should be immediately discontinued if signs and symptoms of SJS or TEN are present. ( Xagena )
Source: Health Canada, 2013
XagenaMedicine_2013
