Irinotecan (Campto)

Find out what irinotecan is, how you have it and other important information about taking irinotecan for bone cancer. 

Irinotecan is a chemotherapy drug used to treat many different types of cancer. This includes Ewing's sarcoma that comes back after treatment.

Irinotecan works by blocking an enzyme, called topoisomerase I. Cells needs this enzyme to divide and grow. Irinotecan blocks this enzyme so the cancer cells can't divide.

How often do you have irinotecan?

You usually have irinotecan every 2 to 3 weeks. You might have it on its own, or in combination with other cancer drugs such as:

• fluorouracil (5FU)
• cetuximab

When you have treatment

You might have irinotecan every 2 or 3 weeks. Each 2 or 3 week period is a cycle of treatment.

Tests

You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.

Side effects

Important information

Other medicines, foods and drink

Drugs can interact with some other medicines and herbal products. Tell your doctor about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies.

Pregnancy and contraception

This treatment may harm a baby developing in your womb. It is important not to become pregnant or father a child while you are having treatment and for a few months afterwards. Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting treatment.

Breastfeeding

Don’t breastfeed during this treatment because the drug may come through in your breast milk.

Treatment for other conditions

Always tell other doctors, nurses or dentists that you’re having these drugs if you need treatment for anything else, including teeth problems.

Immunisations

Don’t have immunisations with live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for at least 6 months afterwards. In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, BCG, yellow fever and Zostavax (shingles vaccine).

You can:

• have other vaccines, but they might not give you as much protection as usual
• have the flu vaccine
• be in contact with other people who've had live vaccines as injections

Avoid contact with people who’ve had vaccines taken by mouth (oral vaccines). This includes the rotavirus vaccine given to babies. So, you mustn't change their nappies for 2 weeks after their vaccination.

You also need to avoid anyone who has had oral polio or typhoid vaccination recently.

More information about this treatment

For further information about this treatment and possible side effects go to the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website. You can find the patient information leaflet on this website.

You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.