Aldesleukin
Aldesleukin injection must be given in a hospital or medical facility under the supervision of a doctor who is experienced in giving chemotherapy medications for cancer.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain tests before and during your treatment to see if it is safe for you to receive aldesleukin injection and to check your body’s response to aldesleukin injection.
Aldesleukin may cause a severe and life-threatening reaction called capillary leak syndrome (a condition that causes the body to keep excess fluid, low blood pressure, and low levels of a protein [albumin] in the blood) which may result in damage to your heart, lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. Capillary leak syndrome may occur immediately after aldesleukin is given. If you experience any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor immediately: swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; weight gain; shortness of breath; fainting; dizziness or lightheadedness; confusion; bloody or black, tarry, sticky stools; chest pain; fast or irregular heartbeat.
Aldesleukin may cause a decrease in the number of white blood cells in the blood. A decrease in the number of white blood cells in your body may increase the risk that you will develop a serious infection. If you experience any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor immediately: fever, chills, sore throat, cough, frequent or painful urination, or other signs of infection.
Aldesleukin may affect the nervous system and can cause coma. If you experience any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor immediately: extreme sleepiness or tiredness.
🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?
Aldesleukin is used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC, a type of cancer that begins in the kidney) that has spread to other parts of your body. Aldesleukin is also used to treat melanoma (a type of skin cancer) that has spread to other parts of your body. Aldesleukin is in a class of drugs known as cytokines. It is a man-made version of a naturally occurring protein that stimulates the body to produce other chemicals which increase the body’s ability to fight cancer.
Given the high cost of medical care, it’s hardly a shock that patients are drowning in medical debt. Almost 20% of American households have delinquent medical bills that affect their credit report, according to NBC News. Having medical bills in collections makes it more difficult for patients to engage in other economic activities, such as purchasing a home or securing a loan to start a business.
🔔 How should this medicine be used?
Aldesleukin comes as a powder to be mixed with liquid to be injected over intravenously (into a vein) over 15 minutes by a doctor or nurse in a hospital. It is usually injected every 8 hours for 5 days in a row (a total of 14 injections). This cycle may be repeated after 9 days. The length of treatment depends on how well your body responds to treatment.
Your doctor may need to delay or permanently stop your treatment if you experience certain side effects. You will be carefully monitoring during your treatment with aldesleukin. It is important for you to tell your doctor how you are feeling during your treatment with aldesleukin.
🔔 Other uses for this medicine
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
