Posology : מינונים

4.2    Posology and method of administration
Cytarabine is not active orally. The schedule and method of administration vary with the program of therapy to be used. Cytarabine may be given by intravenous infusion or injection Thrombophlebitis has occurred at the site of drug infusion in some patients. In most instances, however, the drug has been well tolerated.

Patients can tolerate higher total doses when they receive the drug by rapid intravenous injection as compared with slow infusion. This phenomenon is related to the drug’s rapid inactivation and brief exposure of susceptible normal and neoplastic cells to significant levels after rapid injection. Normal and neoplastic cells seem to respond in somewhat parallel fashion to these different modes of administration and no clear-cut clinical advantage has been demonstrated for either.

If high dose therapy is used, do not use a diluent containing benzyl alcohol.

Conventional dose: In the induction therapy of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia, the usual cytarabine dose in combination with other anti-cancer drugs is 100 mg/m2/day by continuous I.V. infusion (Days 1-7) or 100 mg/m2 I.V. every 12 hours (Days 1-7).

High dose: 2-3 g/m2 as an I.V. infusion over 1-3 hours given every 12 hours for 2-6 days with or without additional cancer chemotherapeutic agents.


The literature should be consulted for the current recommendations for use in leukemia and pediatric non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Drug compatibilities
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Cytarabine is compatible with the following drugs, at the specified concentrations, in Dextrose 5% in water for eight hours; cytarabine 0.8 mg/ml and Sodium Cephalothin 1.0 mg/ml; cytarabine 0.4 mg/ml and prednisolone sodium phosphate 0.2 mg/ml, cytarabine 16 mcg/ml and Vincristine Sulfate 4 mcg/ml. Cytarabine is also physically compatible with methotrexate.

Use in Children
Similar to use in adults.