Etoposide (Eposin, Etopophos, Vepesid)

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

Etoposide is a chemotherapy drug used to treat different types of cancer.
 

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy uses anti cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. The drugs circulate throughout the body in the bloodstream.

How it works

DNA is the genetic code that is in the nucleus of all animal and plant cells. It controls everything the cell does.

Etoposide works by blocking an enzyme (called topoisomerase 2) which is necessary for cancer cells to divide and so grow into 2 new cells. If this enzyme is blocked, the cell's DNA gets tangled up and the cell can't divide.

How you have etoposide

You can have etoposide into your bloodstream. It's brand name is Eposin or Etopophos.

Or you can have etoposide as capsules. Their brand name is Vepesid.

Into your bloodstream

You have the treatment through a drip into your arm or hand. A nurse puts a small tube (a cannula) into one of your veins and connects the drip to it.

You might need a central line. This is a long plastic tube that gives the drugs into a large vein, either in your chest or through a vein in your arm. It stays in while you’re having treatment, which may be for a few months.

Taking your tablets or capsules

Whether you have a full or empty stomach can affect how much of a drug gets into your bloodstream.

You should take the right dose, not more or less.

Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking or miss a dose of a cancer drug.

When you have etoposide

You take the capsules each day, usually for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks. If you have the drug into your bloodstream you usually have it as a course of several cycles 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.

Blood clots

You are more at risk of developing a blood clot during treatment. Drink plenty of fluids and keep moving to help prevent clots.

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.