Generic Name: etoposide (oral) (ee TOW poh side)
Brand names: VePesid, Etopophos (obsolete), Toposar
What is etoposide?
Etoposide is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body.
Etoposide is used to treat cancer of the lung or testicles.
Etoposide may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about etoposide?
Do not use this medication without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. It could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Do not break or open an etoposide capsule. The medicine from a broken capsule can be dangerous if it gets in your eyes, mouth, or nose, or on your skin. If skin contact occurs, wash the area with soap and water or rinse the eyes thoroughly with plain water. If you must handle a broken capsule, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to safely dispose of the capsule.
Etoposide can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. To be sure your blood cells do not get too low, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Using etoposide may increase your risk of developing other types of cancer, such as leukemia. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking etoposide?
Before using etoposide, tell your doctor if you have:
- kidney disease; or
a weak immune system (from disease or from taking certain medicines).
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use etoposide, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not use etoposide without your doctor's consent if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication. It is not known whether etoposide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Using etoposide may increase your risk of developing other types of cancer, such as leukemia. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk.
How should I use etoposide?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor.
Take each dose with a full glass of water. Do not break or open an etoposide capsule. The medicine from a broken capsule can be dangerous if it gets in your eyes, mouth, or nose, or on your skin. If skin contact occurs, wash the area with soap and water or rinse the eyes thoroughly with plain water. If you must handle a broken capsule, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to safely dispose of the capsule.
Etoposide can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. To be sure your blood cells do not get too low, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Store etoposide capsules in the refrigerator. Do not allow them to freeze.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of an etoposide overdose may include severe nausea and vomiting, fever, chills, sore throat, flu symptoms, easy bruising, or extreme weakness.
What should I avoid while using etoposide?
Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop signs of infection.
Do not receive a "live" vaccine while you are being treated with etoposide.
Etoposide side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips;
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
fast heart rate;
severe nausea and vomiting;
feeling light-headed, fainting; or
low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as:
mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
mild itching or skin rash; or
temporary hair loss.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Etoposide Dosing Information
Usual Adult Dose for Testicular Cancer:
(In combination with other approved chemotherapeutic agents) Initial dose: 50 to 100 mg/m² IV once a day on days 1 through 5 or 100 mg/m2 IV once a day on days 1,3 and 5.
Usual Adult Dose for Small Cell Lung Cancer:
(In combination with other approved chemotherapeutic agents) Initial dose: 35 to 50 mg/m2 IV once a day for 4 to 5 days or
70 to 100 mg/m2 orally once a day for 4 to 5 days.
Usual Adult Dose for Hodgkin's Disease:
(In combination with other chemotherapeutic agents as a part of the BEACOPP and EVA regimens)
100 mg/m2/day on days 1, 2, and 3
Total Dose/Cycle = 300 mg/m2
(In combination with other chemotherapeutic agents as a part of the mini-BEAM regimen)
75 mg/m2/day on days 2 through 5
Total Dose/Cycle = 300 mg/m2
(In combination with other chemotherapeutic agents as a part of the Stanford V regimen)
60 mg/m2/day on days 15 and 16
Total Dose/Cycle = 120 mg/m2
Usual Adult Dose for Ovarian Cancer:
For use in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer:
50 mg/m2 daily on days 1 through 21
For use in the treatment of germ cell ovarian cancer:
(In combination with other approved chemotherapeutic agents as a part of the BEP regimen)
100 mg/m2 IV on days 1 through 5
Usual Geriatric Dose for Testicular Cancer:
The manufacturer has stated that clinical studies of etoposide for the treatment of refractory testicular tumors did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 years or over to determine if they respond differently from younger patients.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Malignant Disease:
Note: Oral doses are twice the IV doses listed below. Oral doses are to be administered once a day if
60 to 150 mg/m2/day IV for 2 to 5 days every 3 to 6 weeks.
Remission induction for AML: 150 mg/m2/day IV for 2 to 3 days for 2 to 3 cycles.
Intensification/Consolidation for AML: 250 mg/m2/day IV for 3 days, courses 2 to 5.
Brain Tumor: 150 mg/m2/day IV on days 2 and 3.
Neuroblastoma: 100 mg/m2/day IV over 1 hour on days 1
through 5 of the cycle, repeated every 4 weeks.
High-dose conditioning regimen for allogenic BMT: 60 mg/kg/dose IV as a single dose.
BMT conditioning regimen used in patients with rhabdomyosarcoma or neuroblastoma: IV continuous infusion: 160 mg/m2/day for 4 days.
What other drugs will affect etoposide?
Before using etoposide, tell your doctor if you are using cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf).
There may be other drugs that can affect etoposide. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
More etoposide resources
- Etoposide Side Effects (in more detail)
- Etoposide Dosage
- Etoposide Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
- Drug Images
- Etoposide Drug Interactions
- Etoposide Support Group
- 0 Reviews for Etoposide - Add your own review/rating
- etoposide Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information
- Etoposide Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)
- Etoposide Prescribing Information (FDA)
- Etoposide MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
- Etoposide Monograph (AHFS DI)
- Toposar Prescribing Information (FDA)
- VePesid Prescribing Information (FDA)
- VePesid MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)
- Vepesid Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information
Compare etoposide with other medications
- Cancer
- Hodgkin's Lymphoma
- Ovarian Cancer
- Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
Where can I get more information?
- Your pharmacist has more information about etoposide written for health professionals that you may read.
See also: etoposide side effects (in more detail)
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