Capecitabine (oral route)

Xeloda

Capecitabine is used alone or in combination with other cancer treatments in patients with colon cancer that has spread (Stage III) to help prevent colon cancer from coming back after surgery. It is also used together with other cancer treatments and radiation treatment, around the time of surgery, to treat rectal cancer that has spread. This medicine is also used alone or in combination with other cancer treatments to treat colorectal cancer that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery. Capecitabine is also used together with docetaxel to treat breast cancer that has spread throughout the body in patients who have received other medicines (eg, anthracycline medicine) that did not worked well. This medicine is also used alone to treat breast cancer in patients who are not able to receive anthracycline medicine or taxane medicine. Capecitabine is also used in combination with other cancer treatments to treat esophageal, gastric (stomach), or gastroesophageal junction in patients whose cancer has spread or cannot be removed by surgery. It is also used to treat esophagus, stomach, or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma that has spread throughout the body in patients whose cancer has an abnormal HER2 gene and who have not received other cancer treatments. Capecitabine is also used in combination with other cancer treatments to prevent pancreatic cancer from coming back after surgery. Capecitabine belongs to the group of medicines called antineoplastics (cancer medicines). It interferes with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed by the body. Since the growth of normal cells may also be affected by the medicine, other side effects may also occur. Some of these may be serious and must be reported to your doctor. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of capecitabine in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of capecitabine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have unwanted side effects (eg, stomach problems, severe diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving capecitabine. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially: