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Patient Information Sheet
Nelarabine (marketed as Arranon)

PDF Print Version

This is a summary of the most important information about Arranon.  For details, talk to your or your child’s healthcare professional.

 What Is Arranon?

 Arranon is an anti-cancer medicine used to treat adults and children who have:

  • T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
  • T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma

 At this time, it is not known whether Arranon will improve symptoms, keep the disease from getting worse, or help patients live longer.

 Who Should Not Be Treated With Arranon?

You or your child should not be given Arranon if you or your child is allergic to nelarabine, or to anything else in Arranon.

What Are The Risks?  

The following are the major potential risks and side effects of Arranon therapy. However, this list is not complete. 

  • serious nervous system problems including:
  • extreme sleepiness

  • seizures

  • coma

  • numbness and tingling in the hands,  fingers, feet, or toes (peripheral neuropathy)

  • weakness and paralysis.

Call your healthcare professional right away if you or your child has the following symptoms:

  • seizures
  • numbness and tingling in the hands, fingers, feet, or toes
  • problems with fine motor skills such as buttoning clothes
  • unsteady while walking
  • increased tripping while walking
  • weakness when getting out of a chair or walking up stairs.

These symptoms may not go away even when treatment with Arranon is stopped.

  • decreased blood counts such as low red blood cells, low white blood cells, and low platelets

Call your or your child’s healthcare professional right away if you or your child:

  • is more tired than usual, pale, or has trouble breathing

  • has a fever or signs of an infection

  • bruises easy or has any unusual bleeding

Blood tests should be done regularly to check blood counts.

  • stomach area problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation
  • some common side effects that may occur with Arranon include:
    • headache
    • sleepiness
    • blurry eyesight

You or your child should not drive or operate dangerous machines during treatment with Arranon.

 What Should I Tell My Healthcare Professional?

 Before you or your child starts receiving Arranon, tell your healthcare professional if you or your child:

  • have any nervous system problems.
  • have kidney problems.
  • are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast feeding.

 Can Other Medicines Or Food Affect Arranon?

 Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you or your child takes including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

 You or your child should not receive vaccines made with live germs during treatment with Arranon.

 How Should My Child or I Receive Arranon?

  • Arranon should be given under the supervision of a healthcare professional who knows how to use cancer medicines.

  • Arranon is an IV medicine. This means it is given throuh a tube in a vein.    

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Date Approved: October 2005

Date Created: December 1, 2005

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