Indications and Usage

Tretinoin is an FDA-approved drug that is used to induce remission in patients who have acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL, also known as "M3 AML"), a type of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with the t(15;17) translocation and/or the presence of the PML-RARa gene and who are intolerant of, refractory to, or have relapsed from anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Side effects needing medical attention

Difficulty in breathing or rapid breathing; wheezing; unexplained fever; weight gain or weight loss; dizziness; fainting; bone pain; discomfort or pain in chest or feeling of heaviness in chest; convulsions or seizures; difficulty speaking, slow speech or inability to speak; inability to move arms, legs or muscles of face; pain in back of left arm; unusual bleeding; blood in urine; cough; headache; joint pain; sores in mouth or on lips, or pain or sores in mouth or nose; changes in vision; coughing; sore throat; decreased urination; earache or feeling of fullness in ear; irregular heartbeat; depression or other mood, mental or personality changes; rash; swelling of abdomen, face, fingers, hands, feet or lower legs; cramping or pain in stomach (severe); difficult or painful urination; drowsiness (severe and continuing); pain in lower back or side; yellow eyes or skin; weakness and fatigue; nausea and vomiting; increased sweating; anxiety; confusion; constipation; diarrhea; dryness of skin, mouth or nose or cracked lips; feeling of burning, crawling or tingling in skin; flushing; general feeling of illness; indigestion; loss of appetite; shivering; trouble sleeping.  

For information on how to manage the costs of drug therapy, please see Financial Support, or to speak with an Information Specialist, call (800) 955-4572.