Diet and Procarbazine

If you are undergoing treatment for cancer, your health care team will advise you about general dietary recommendations that are helpful. This may include instructions such as avoiding citrus food;spicy, acidic, or very hot food; salty items; alcohol;and tobacco.In addition to this, you may need totake some additional dietary precautions if you are taking Procarbazine as part of your cancer treatment.

Food and Procarbazine

If you are taking a drug called Procarbazine, your doctor may ask you to follow a low tyramine diet. Tyramine is a substance thatoccurs naturallyin the body and is found in some foods. Tyraminecan affect how Procarbazine, a cancer treatment medication,works in your body. If you have been told to follow a low tyramine diet, please keep the following in mind.

Following A Low Tyramine Diet

Some cancer treatments require that you avoid food that contains a lot of tyramine. The most common cancer medication that requires a low tyramine diet is called Procarbazine. If you are taking Procarbazine, youwill need to follow a low tyramine diet to prevent complications from your medication.Your doctor can give you more information on how Procarbazine works and why you will be taking it.

Food to Avoid

Below is a list of food that containslarge amounts of tyramine. Avoid these food itemsif you are taking Procarbazine.

HIGH TYRAMINE FOODS

• Most Cheeses
• Smoked or pickled fish
• Non-fresh meats
• Organ meats, especially liver
• Meat extracts
• Processed and mixed meat such as sausage, hotdogs, and bratwurst
• Processed and smoked meat such as bologna, pepperoni, salami, and summer sausage
• Fresh yeast extracts and brewers yeast
• Beer, ale, port, or vermouth
• Wine, especially aged or red wine such asChianti
• Distilled spirits (hard liquor)
• Otheralcoholic beverages and mixed drinks
• Alcohol-free or reduced-alcohol beer or wine
• Sauerkraut and other fermented foods
• Fava Beans (also called Broad Beans)
• Bananas
• Over-ripe fruit
• Cream from unpasteurized milk
• Unpasteurized milk or other products made from unpasteurized milk, such as fresh or raw milk cheeses

FOOD WITH SOME TYRAMINE

The following food itemscontain some tyramine. If you are taking Procarbazine, these food itemsmay be eaten with caution. If you do eat them, have no more than oneservingper day.

• Peanuts
• Yogurt
• Avocado
• Raspberries
• Soy sauce
• Chocolate
• Caffeine containing beverages such as coffee, tea, or soda

Dietary Supplements, Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

• Some dietary supplements, vitamins, minerals, and herbs can contain tyramine.Do nottake thesesupplements without talking to your doctor or dietitian first.Even if the label does not say so, theseproducts may contain tyramine
• Some dietary supplements will affect the way your body processes tyramine. If you are taking Procarbazine, you must avoid these dietary supplements. This includes St. John’s Wort, SAMe (s-adenosyl methionine), Phenylalanine, 5-HTP (5-hydroxy tryptophan), Phosphatidylserine, and Tyrosine. Do not take any of these products if you are taking Procarbazine.