Experienced Physician/Equipped Facility

• Streptozocin should be administered under the supervision of a physician experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
• The physician must judge the possible benefit to the patient against the known toxic effects of this drug in considering the advisability of therapy with this agent. The physician should be familiar with the following text before making a judgment and beginning treatment.
• A patient need not be hospitalized but should have access to a facility with laboratory and supportive resources sufficient to monitor drug tolerance and to protect and maintain a patient compromised by drug toxicity.

Toxicities

• Renal toxicity is dose-related and cumulative and may be severe or fatal.
• Other major toxicities are nausea and vomiting which may be severe and at times treatment-limiting. In addition, liver dysfunction, diarrhea, and hematological changes have been observed in some patients.

Mutagenicity, Tumorigenic

• Streptozocin is mutagenic. When administered parenterally, it has been found to be tumorigenic or carcinogenic in some rodents.