Capecitabine

CAPECITABINE- capecitabine tablet, film coated
Areva Pharmaceuticals

WARNING: CAPECITABINE-WARFARIN INTERACTION

Capecitabine Warfarin Interaction: Patients receiving concomitant capecitabine and oral coumarin-derivative anticoagulant therapy should have their anticoagulant response (INR or prothrombin time) monitored frequently in order to adjust the anticoagulant dose accordingly. A clinically important capecitabine-Warfarin drug interaction was demonstrated in a clinical pharmacology trial [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) and Drug Interactions (7.1)]. Altered coagulation parameters and/or bleeding, including death, have been reported in patients taking capecitabine concomitantly with coumarin-derivative anticoagulants such as warfarin and phenprocoumon. Postmarketing reports have shown clinically significant increases in prothrombin time (PT) and INR in patients who were stabilized on anticoagulants at the time capecitabine was introduced. These events occurred within several days and up to several months after initiating capecitabine therapy and, in a few cases, within 1 month after stopping capecitabine. These events occurred in patients with and without liver metastases. Age greater than 60 and a diagnosis of cancer independently predispose patients to an increased risk of coagulopathy.

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE

1.1 Colorectal Cancer

  • Capecitabine tablets are indicated as a single agent for adjuvant treatment in patients with Dukes’ C colon cancer who have undergone complete resection of the primary tumor when treatment with fluoropyrimidine therapy alone is preferred. Capecitabine tablets are non-inferior to 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (5-FU/LV) for disease-free survival (DFS). Physicians should consider results of combination chemotherapy trials, which have shown improvement in DFS and OS, when prescribing single-agent capecitabine tablets in the adjuvant treatment of Dukes’ C colon cancer.
  • Capecitabine tablets are indicated as first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma when treatment with fluoropyrimidine therapy alone is preferred. Combination chemotherapy has shown a survival benefit compared to 5-FU/LV alone. A survival benefit over 5-FU/LV has not been demonstrated with capecitabine tablets monotherapy. Use of capecitabine tablets instead of 5-FU/LV in combinations has not been adequately studied to assure safety or preservation of the survival advantage.

1.2 Breast Cancer

  • Capecitabine tablets in combination with docetaxel is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer after failure of prior anthracycline-containing chemotherapy.

Capecitabine tablets monotherapy is also indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer resistant to both paclitaxel and an anthracycline-containing chemotherapy regimen or resistant to paclitaxel and for whom further anthracycline therapy is not indicated (e.g., patients who have received cumulative doses of 400 mg/m 2 of doxorubicin or doxorubicin equivalents). Resistance is defined as progressive disease while on treatment, with or without an initial response, or relapse within 6 months of completing treatment with an anthracycline-containing adjuvant regimen.

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

2.1 Important Administration Instructions

Capecitabine tablets should be swallowed whole with water within 30 minutes after a meal. Capecitabine is a cytotoxic drug. Follow applicable special handling and disposal procedures. 1 If Capecitabine tablets must be cut or crushed, this should be done by a professional trained in safe handling of cytotoxic drugs using appropriate equipment and safety procedures. Capecitabine Tablets dose is calculated according to body surface area.

2.2 Standard Starting Dose

Monotherapy (Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Adjuvant Colorectal Cancer, Metastatic Breast Cancer)

The recommended dose of Capecitabine is 1250 mg/m 2 administered orally twice daily (morning and evening; equivalent to 2500 mg/m 2 total daily dose) for 2 weeks followed by a 1-week rest period given as 3-week cycles (see Table 1).

Adjuvant treatment in patients with Dukes’ C colon cancer is recommended for a total of 6 months [ie, capecitabine tablets 1250 mg/m 2 orally twice daily for 2 weeks followed by a 1-week rest period, given as 3-week cycles for a total of 8 cycles (24 weeks)].

Table 1 Capecitabine Tablets Dose Calculation According to Body Surface Area

Dose Level 1250 mg/m 2

Twice a Day

Number of Tablets to be Taken at Each Dose (Morning and Evening)

Surface Area

(m 2)

Total Daily Dose* (mg)

150 mg

500 mg

≤ 1.25

3000

0

3

1.26-1.37

3300

1

3

1.38-1.51

3600

2

3

1.52-1.65

4000

0

4

1.66-1.77

4300

1

4

1.78-1.91

4600

2

4

1.92-2.05

5000

0

5

2.06-2.17

5300

1

5

≥ 2.18

5600

2

5

*Total Daily Dose divided by 2 to allow equal morning and evening doses

In Combination With Docetaxel (Metastatic Breast Cancer)

In combination with docetaxel, the recommended dose of capecitabine tablets are 1250 mg/m 2 twice daily for 2 weeks followed by a 1-week rest period, combined with docetaxel at 75 mg/m 2 as a 1-hour intravenous infusion every 3 weeks. Pre-medication, according to the docetaxel labeling, should be started prior to docetaxel administration for patients receiving the capecitabine tablets plus docetaxel combination. Table 1 displays the total daily dose of capecitabine tablets by body surface area and the number of tablets to be taken at each dose.

2.3 Dose Management Guidelines

General

Capecitabine tablets dosage may need to be individualized to optimize patient management. Patients should be carefully monitored for toxicity and doses of capecitabine tablets should be modified as necessary to accommodate individual patient tolerance to treatment [see Clinical Studies (14)]. Toxicity due to capecitabine tablets administration may be managed by symptomatic treatment, dose interruptions and adjustment of capecitabine tablets dose. Once the dose has been reduced, it should not be increased at a later time. Doses of capecitabine tablets omitted for toxicity are not replaced or restored; instead the patient should resume the planned treatment cycles.

The dose of phenytoin and the dose of coumarin-derivative anticoagulants may need to be reduced when either drug is administered concomitantly with capecitabine tablets [see Drug Interactions (7.1)].

Monotherapy (Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Adjuvant Colorectal Cancer, Metastatic Breast Cancer)

Capecitabine tablets dose modification scheme as described below (see Table 2) is recommended for the management of adverse reactions.

Table 2 Recommended Dose Modifications of Capecitabine Tablets

Toxicity

NCIC Grades*

During a Course of Therapy

Dose Adjustment for Next

Treatment (% of starting dose)

Grade 1

Maintain dose level

Maintain dose level

Grade 2

-1st appearance

Interrupt until resolved to grade 0-1

100%

-2nd appearance

75%

-3rd appearance

50%

-4th appearance

Discontinue treatment permanently

Grade 3

-1st appearance

Interrupt until resolved to grade 0-1

75%

-2nd appearance

50%

-3rd appearance

Discontinue treatment permanently

Grade 4

-1st appearance

Discontinue permanently

OR

If physician deems it to be in the patient’s best interest to continue, interrupt until resolved to grade 0-1

50%

*National Cancer Institute of Canada Common Toxicity Criteria were used except for the hand-and-foot syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5)].

In Combination With Docetaxel (Metastatic Breast Cancer)

Dose modifications of capecitabine tablets for toxicity should be made according to Table 2 above for capecitabine tablets. At the beginning of a treatment cycle, if a treatment delay is indicated for either capecitabine tablets or docetaxel, then administration of both agents should be delayed until the requirements for restarting both drugs are met.

The dose reduction schedule for docetaxel when used in combination with capecitabine tablets for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer is shown in Table 3.

Table 3 Docetaxel Dose Reduction Schedule in Combination with Capecitabine Tablets

Toxicity

NCIC Grades*

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

1st appearance

Delay treatment until resolved to grade 0-1; Resume treatment with original dose of 75 mg/m 2 docetaxel

Delay treatment until resolved to grade 0-1; Resume treatment at 55 mg/m 2 of docetaxel.

Discontinue treatment with docetaxel

2nd appearance

Delay treatment until resolved to grade 0-1; Resume treatment at 55 mg/m 2 of docetaxel.

Discontinue treatment with docetaxel

3rd appearance

Discontinue treatment with docetaxel

*National Cancer Institute of Canada Common Toxicity Criteria were used except for hand-and-foot syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5)].

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