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cabazitaxel

Pronunciation: ka BAZ i TAX el
Brand: Jevtana

What is the most important information I should know about cabazitaxel?

nopreg Do not use cabazitaxel if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.
donot You should not use this medication if you are allergic to cabazitaxel, or if you have liver disease, low white blood cell counts, or an allergy to any medicine that contains polysorbate 80.
nobrfeed You should not breast-feed while you are receiving cabazitaxel.

Before you receive cabazitaxel, tell your doctor if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any medication.

Cabazitaxel is used together with prednisone, and you may also be given other medications to help prevent certain side effects. Use all medications as directed by your doctor.

emt To make sure cabazitaxel is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often.

What is cabazitaxel?

Cabazitaxel is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.

Cabazitaxel is used together with prednisone to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).

Cabazitaxel is usually given after other cancer medicines have been tried without successful treatment.

Cabazitaxel may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving cabazitaxel?

donot You should not use this medication if you are allergic to cabazitaxel, or if you have:
  • liver disease;
  • low white blood cell counts; or
  • an allergy to any medicine that contains polysorbate 80.

To make sure you can safely receive cabazitaxel, tell your doctor if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any medication.

nopreg FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use cabazitaxel if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.
nobrfeed It is not known whether cabazitaxel passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are receiving cabazitaxel.

Serious side effects may be more likely in older adults receiving cabazitaxel.

How is cabazitaxel given?

Cabazitaxel is injected into a vein through an IV. You will receive this injection in a clinic or hospital setting. Cabazitaxel must be given slowly, and the IV infusion can take about 1 hour to complete.

Cabazitaxel is usually given once every 3 weeks. You will most likely take prednisone by mouth every day throughout your cabazitaxel treatment. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.

donot Do not stop taking prednisone without your doctor's advice, or you could have unpleasant side effects caused by cabazitaxel. Tell your doctor if you have missed any doses or have stopped taking prednisone for any reason.

About 30 minutes before you receive cabazitaxel, you may be given other medications to help prevent certain side effects.

Use all medications as directed by your doctor. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor's advice.

emt To make sure this medication is helping your condition and not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested often. Your cancer treatments may be delayed based on the results of these tests. Do not miss any follow-up visits to your doctor.

Your doctor may tell you to check your temperature at home throughout your treatment with cabazitaxel.

Call your doctor if you have ongoing vomiting or diarrhea, or if you are sweating more than usual. You can easily become dehydrated while receiving cabazitaxel, which can lead to a serious electrolyte imbalance.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your cabazitaxel injection.

What happens if I overdose?

emt Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include some of the serious side effects listed in this medication guide.

What should I avoid while receiving cabazitaxel?

donot Avoid taking an herbal supplement containing St. John's wort while you are being treated with cabazitaxel.

What are the possible side effects of cabazitaxel?

emt Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives, red skin rash; difficult breathing; feeling light-headed; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
donot Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
  • fever, cough, chills, muscle aches, flu symptoms, sores in your mouth and throat, rapid and shallow breathing, fainting;
  • pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating;
  • severe or ongoing diarrhea;
  • trouble breathing;
  • feeling very thirsty or hot, being unable to urinate, heavy sweating, or hot and dry skin;
  • swelling or rapid weight gain; or
  • blood in your urine, pain or burning when you urinate.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
  • constipation, mild diarrhea;
  • weakness, tired feeling;
  • joint pain, back pain;
  • numbness, burning pain, or tingly feeling en your hands or feet;
  • changes in your sense of taste; or
  • hair loss.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect cabazitaxel?

Many drugs can interact with cabazitaxel. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:

  • conivaptan (Vaprisol);
  • imatinib (Gleevec);
  • isoniazid (for treating tuberculosis);
  • aprepitant (Emend);
  • cimetidine (Tagamet);
  • cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);
  • haloperidol (Haldol);
  • lidocaine (Xylocaine);
  • an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), dalfopristin/quinupristin (Synercid), doxycycline (Adoxa, Alodox, Avidoxy, Oraxyl, Doryx, Oracea, Vibramycin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), metronidazole (Flagyl), norfloxacin (Noroxin), telithromycin (Ketek), or tetracycline (Ala-Tet, Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap);
  • antifungal medication such as clotrimazole (Mycelex Troche), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Extina, Ketozole, Nizoral, Xolegal), or voriconazole (Vfend);
  • an antidepressant such as nefazodone, desipramine (Norpramin), or sertraline (Zoloft);
  • heart or blood pressure medication such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), felodipine (Plendil), nifedipine (Nifedical, Procardia), verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan), and others; or
  • HIV/AIDS medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), delavirdine (Rescriptor), efavirenz (Sustiva), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), saquinavir (Invirase), or ritonavir (Norvir).
donot This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with cabazitaxel. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about cabazitaxel.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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