Indication of Litak:
The active ingredient in Litak is cladribine. Litak is used in: The treatment of hairy cell leukaemia The second line treatment of Waldenstroms macroglobulinaemia (also called lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, which is a type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma) if alkylating agents fail.
Dose Advice of Litak:
Litak is used for subcutaneous injection (injection under the skin) and intravenous infusion (continuous infusion into the veins). For the treatment of hairy cell leukaemia, it can be given as a subcutaneous injection at a dose of 0.14mg/kg body weight/day for five consecutive days. Litak can also be given as intravenous infusion at 0.10mg/kg body weight/day for seven consecutive days. For Waldenstroms macroglobulinaemia, Litak is given as an injection under the skin at a dose of 0.10mg/kg body weight/day for five consecutive days every month, for not more than 3 cycles.
Schedule of Litak:
Schedule 4
Common side effects of Litak:
Tiredness, headache, decreased appetite, lack of strength, chills. Nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, tummy pain, flatulence (gas from the bowel). Joint pain, bone pain, muscle pain. Anxiety, sleeplessness. Infections (e.g. fever, sore throat, cough, mouth ulcers). Anaemia (looking pale, weakness, tiredness, breathlessness, dizziness). Bleeding, easy bruising. Skin rashes, itchiness. Swelling in hands, ankles or feel, low blood pressure. Yellowing of skin/eyes. Difficulty/abnormal breathing & chest sounds, cough. Increased sweating, injection site reaction, redness. Second cancer (due to depressed function of the bone marrow). If there are signs of an allergic reaction (e.g. swelling, rash, dizziness, difficulty in breathing), swelling and burning at site of injection, chest pain, fast heart rate, altered heart beat, unusual awareness of heart beat, go to the nearest hospital.
Uncommon side effects of Litak:
Weight loss. Loss of balance, confusion, numbness, nerve damage, increased sleepiness, weakness. Haemolytic anaemia. Hair loss. Inflammation of the mucous membrane (in the mouth and throat). Inflammation of the conjunctivae (in the eye).
Reference:
Consumer Medicine Information on Litak. 2004. [Cited 2005 September 18th].Mims online - Prescribing information for Litak [online]. 2003 [cited 2005 September 18th]. Available from: URL: http: //mims.hcn.net.au.ezproxy.library.uwa.edu.au/ifmx-nsapi/mims-data/?MIval=2MIMS_abbr_pi&product_code=7101&product_name=LitakProduct Information on Litak. 2005. [Cited 2005 September 18th].
Diseases treated by Litak:
Hairy Cell Leukaemia Waldenstroms Macroglobulinemia
