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Drug interactions

Etoposide + Pentostatin

Severity: Contraindicated

Etoposide and Pentostatin: contraindicated interaction.

Last updated

For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.

Summary

In high-dose transplant conditioning with carmustine and cyclophosphamide, pentostatin was linked to fatal pulmonary edema and hypotension. Use together in this setting is dangerous.

What this interaction means in plain words

Etoposide and Pentostatin are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.

Etoposide belongs to Oncology; Pentostatin belongs to Oncology.

Evidence level: Moderate

Why it happens

Mechanism not established; additive pulmonary and cardiovascular toxicity is suspected.

What to do

Avoid pentostatin with high-dose etoposide-containing ablative regimens and choose a different conditioning approach.

What to ask your pharmacist

  • Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
  • If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
  • Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?

Bring a full list of your medicines, including over-the-counter products, supplements and herbal remedies, to every pharmacy visit.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I take Etoposide with Pentostatin?

MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Etoposide and Pentostatin are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. In high-dose transplant conditioning with carmustine and cyclophosphamide, pentostatin was linked to fatal pulmonary edema and hypotension. Use together in this setting is dangerous.

How serious is the interaction between Etoposide and Pentostatin?

MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid pentostatin with high-dose etoposide-containing ablative regimens and choose a different conditioning approach.

What other medicines interact with Pentostatin?

MediHelp also lists interactions of Pentostatin with, for example, Carmustine, Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide. The full list is on the Pentostatin page.

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