Gleevec

Generic Name: Imatinib
Brand Name: Gleevec  

Gleevec is used for:

Treating certain types of leukemia (eg, chronic myeloid leukemia) and bone marrow diseases, certain types of skin cancer, and certain intestinal tumors (eg, gastrointestinal stromal tumors). It is also used to treat mastocytosis (a build up of large amounts of mast cells in certain parts of the body). It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Gleevec is a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by preventing the growth of cancer cells.

Do NOT use Gleevec if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Gleevec

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Gleevec :

Some medical conditions may interact with Gleevec . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have liver or kidney problems, heart problems, or lung problems
• if you have had your thyroid gland removed
• if you have bone marrow problems, low white blood cell counts, or low blood platelets
• if you have other cancers

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Gleevec . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin) because side effects, including the risk of bleeding, may be increased by Gleevec
• Azole antifungals (eg, itraconazole, ketoconazole), ketolide antibiotics (eg, telithromycin), or macrolide antibiotics (eg, clarithromycin, erythromycin) because they may increase the risk of Gleevec 's side effects
• Barbiturates (eg, phenobarbital), carbamazepine, corticosteroids (eg, dexamethasone), hydantoins (eg, phenytoin), rifampin, or St. John's wort because they may decrease Gleevec 's effectiveness
• Acetaminophen, benzodiazepines (eg, alprazolam), calcium channel blockers (eg, nifedipine), cyclosporine, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (eg, simvastatin), or pimozide because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Gleevec
• Levothyroxine because its effectiveness may be decreased by Gleevec

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Gleevec may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.