Tremelimumab-actl Injection

Tremelimumab-actl injection is used in combination with durvalumab (Imfinzi) to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; a type of liver cancer) that cannot be treated with surgery. Tremelimumab-actl injection is also used in combination with durvalumab and platinum-containing chemotherapy to treat a certain type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to other parts of the body. Tremelimumab-actl is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It works by helping your immune system to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Tremelimumab-actl injection comes as a liquid to be injected into a vein over 60 minutes by a doctor or nurse in a hospital or medical facility. For the treatment of HCC, it is usually given as a single dose. For the treatment of NSCLC, it is usually given once every 3 weeks for 4 doses (cycles 1 to 4), and then as a single dose at week 16 (cycle 6).

Tremelimumab-actl injection may cause serious or life-threatening reactions during an infusion. A doctor or nurse will watch you closely while you are receiving the infusion to be sure you are not having a serious reaction to the medication. Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms that may occur during the infusion: chills, flushing, shaking, dizziness, shortness of breath, wheezing, fever, itching, rash, back or neck pain, or feeling faint.

Your doctor may slow down your infusion, permanently or temporarily stop your tremelimumab-actl injection treatment, or treat you with additional medications depending on your response to the medication and any side effects that you experience. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with tremelimumab-actl injection and each time you receive a dose. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Once you do get to see the doctor, don’t be surprised if you’re rushed out of the exam room before you get all of your questions answered, according to healthcare staffing agency Staff Care. Studies show that 41% of ophthalmologists spend just 9 to 12 minutes with a patient, and 13- to 16-minute appointments are the norm for 40% of cardiologists, 37% of pediatricians, 35% of urologists, 35% of family physicians, 34% of obstetricians and gynecologists and 30% of otolaryngologists.

🔔 What special precautions should I follow?

Before receiving tremelimumab-actl injection,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to tremelimumab-actl, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in tremelimumab-actl injection. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had an autoimmune disease (condition in which the immune system attacks a healthy part of the body) such as Crohn’s disease (condition in which the immune system attacks the lining of the digestive tract causing pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fever), ulcerative colitis (condition which causes swelling and sores in the lining of the colon [large intestine] and rectum), or lupus (condition in which the immune system attacks many tissues and organs including the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys); diabetes; thyroid problems; any type of lung disease or breathing problems; any condition that affects your nervous system such as myasthenia gravis (a disorder of the nervous system that causes muscle weakness) or Guillain-Barré syndrome (weakness, tingling, and possible paralysis due to sudden nerve damage); or kidney or liver disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You should not become pregnant while you are receiving tremelimumab-actl injection. You should use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy during your treatment with tremelimumab-actl injection and for at least 3 months after your final dose. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that will work for you. If you become pregnant while receiving tremelimumab-actl injection, call your doctor immediately. Tremelimumab-actl injection may harm the fetus.
• tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You should not breastfeed while receiving tremelimumab-actl injection and for at least 3 months after your final dose.

🔔 What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.