About your treatment   

Your doctor has ordered the drug altretamine to help treat your illness. The drug comes in capsules and usually is taken by mouth after meals and at bedtime. Altretamine usually is taken in a repeated cycle for 14-21 days and then stopped for 14-21 days.

This medication is used to treat:

• Ovarian cancer:  This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Altretamine is an s-triazine derivative. It slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.

Storage conditions:  Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

In case of emergency/overdose:  In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Special instructions    Take altretamine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Continue to take altretamine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking altretamine without talking to your doctor.

Brand names   

• Hexalen®

Other names   

• Hexamethylmelamine

Notes: DrJMinor

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EditText of this page (last edited November 26, 2009)