Vinblastine

Vinblastine is a chemotherapy drug that is used to treat Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma and testicular cancer. It may also be used to treat Kaposi’s sarcoma, a cancer of several tissues that patients with HIV sometimes develop. The medication is injected directly into the veins to slow the growth of cancer cells.

Side Effects/Warnings

This medication is toxic to body tissues, which is why it is injected directly into veins. However, sometimes the medication leaks into surrounding tissue after an injection. This can cause soreness, redness and tenderness near the injection site. Your doctor will check your injection site for signs of a reaction.

The medication can cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, jaw aches and hair loss. These symptoms are expected and should not concern you. However, if you experience fever and chills, extreme soreness, difficulty walking, a sore throat, urinary problems or changes in bowel movements, you may be having a severe reaction to the drug. Contact your doctor immediately if you have any of these side effects.