Sunitinib Sandoz
Sunitinib Sandoz is a medicine that treats cancer by stopping cancer cells from growing and spreading.
Form
kapseli, kova
Strength
12.5 mg
Active Ingredient
Sunitinib
Manufacturer
Sandoz A/S
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will determine your dose. For GIST or kidney cancer, the usual dose is 50 mg once daily for 28 days, followed by a 14-day break. For pancreatic NET, it's 37.5 mg once daily without a break.
Method
You can take Sunitinib Sandoz with or without food.
Important
Your doctor will decide your maximum daily dose based on your cancer type. Always follow your doctor's instructions.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Lower numbers of platelets, red and/or white blood cells.
- •Shortness of breath.
- •High blood pressure.
- •Severe tiredness and weakness.
- •Swelling caused by fluid buildup under the skin and around the eyes.
- •Mouth pain or irritation, mouth sores, dry mouth, taste changes, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain or bloating, loss of appetite.
- •Reduced thyroid function.
- •Dizziness and headache.
- •Nosebleeds.
- •Back pain, joint pain, pain in arms and legs.
- •Yellowish or discolored skin, darker skin patches, hair color changes, rash on palms and soles, dry skin.
- •Cough, fever, difficulty sleeping.
- •Blood clots in blood vessels.
- •Reduced blood flow to heart muscle due to blocked or narrowed arteries, chest pain, reduced heart pumping ability.
- •Fluid buildup around the lungs.
- •Infections, including severe infections leading to organ damage.
- •Low blood sugar.
- •Protein in urine, sometimes causing swelling.
- •Flu-like symptoms.
- •Abnormal blood test results, including pancreatic and liver enzymes, high uric acid in blood.
- •Hemorrhoids, rectal pain, bleeding gums, difficulty swallowing, burning or painful tongue, gas, weight loss.
- •Muscle and bone pain, muscle weakness, muscle fatigue, muscle spasms.
- •Dry nose, stuffy nose.
- •Increased tearing.
- •Unusual skin sensations, itching, peeling skin or skin inflammation, blisters, acne, nail discoloration, hair loss, unusual sensations in limbs, increased or decreased sensitivity to touch.
- •Heartburn.
- •Dehydration, hot flashes, abnormally colored urine, depression, chills.
RARE
- •Life-threatening soft tissue infection, including in the anal and genital areas.
- •Stroke.
- •Heart attack caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.
- •Changes in heart's electrical activity or abnormal heart rhythm.
- •Fluid accumulation around the heart (pericardial effusion).
- •Liver failure.
- •Stomach pain caused by inflammation of the pancreas.
- •Perforation (hole) in the digestive tract due to tumor breakdown.
- •Gallbladder inflammation (swelling and redness), possibly with gallstones.
- •Abnormal connection from a body cavity to another or to the skin (fistula).
- •Mouth, tooth, and/or jaw pain, swelling or sores in mouth, numbness or heavy feeling in jaw, loose teeth (signs of jaw bone damage).
- •Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), which increases the body's energy use at rest.
- •Problems with wound healing after surgery.
- •Increased levels of a muscle enzyme (creatine kinase) in the blood.
- •Strong allergic reaction, including hay fever, rash, itching, hives, swelling of body parts, and breathing difficulties.
- •Inflammation of the colon (colitis, ischemic colitis).
- •Severe skin and/or mucous membrane reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme).
- •Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) - metabolic complications from dying cancer cells, symptoms include nausea, shortness of breath, irregular pulse, muscle cramps, seizures, cloudy urine, fatigue, and abnormal lab values (high potassium, uric acid, phosphorus, low calcium).
- •Abnormal breakdown of muscle tissue that can lead to kidney problems (rhabdomyolysis).
- •Abnormal brain changes causing headache, confusion, seizures, and vision loss (Posterior Reversible Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome - PRES/RPLS).
- •Painful skin ulcers (pyoderma gangrenosum).
- •Liver inflammation (hepatitis).
- •Thyroid inflammation.
- •Damage to small blood vessels, called thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA).
- •Enlargement and weakening of a blood vessel wall or rupture of a blood vessel wall (aneurysms and arterial dissections).
- •Listlessness, confusion, drowsiness, unconsciousness/coma – these symptoms can be signs of brain toxicity caused by high ammonia levels in the blood (hyperammonemic encephalopathy).
Important Warnings
- Do not take if you are allergic to sunitinib or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Sunitinib Sandoz can increase blood pressure. Your doctor will check your blood pressure regularly and may prescribe medicine to lower it if needed.
- This medicine can increase the risk of bleeding or bruising, or change blood cell counts. Tell your doctor if you are taking blood thinners like warfarin, as this can increase bleeding risk.
- Sunitinib Sandoz can cause heart problems. Tell your doctor if you feel very tired, short of breath, or have swollen feet and ankles.
- This medicine can cause abnormal heart rhythms. Your doctor may perform an ECG to check your heart. Tell your doctor if you feel dizzy, faint, or have unusual heartbeats.
Show 15 more warnings
- Seek immediate medical attention if you experience symptoms of blood clots, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness or weakness on one side of the body, or severe headache.
- Tell your doctor if you have or have had an aneurysm (a weakened blood vessel wall) or a ruptured blood vessel.
- Tell your doctor if you experience fever, exhaustion, easy bruising, bleeding, swelling, confusion, vision loss, or seizures, as these could be signs of small blood vessel damage (TMA).
- This medicine can cause thyroid problems. Your doctor will check your thyroid function. Tell your doctor if you feel more tired, are more sensitive to cold, or have a deeper voice.
- Tell your doctor if you have or have had pancreas or gallbladder problems. Seek medical attention if you have upper stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or fever.
- This medicine can cause liver problems. Your doctor will check your liver function. Tell your doctor if you have itching, yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, or pain in the upper right abdomen.
- Your doctor will monitor your kidney function if you have or have had kidney problems.
- This medicine can affect wound healing. Treatment is usually stopped before surgery. Your doctor will decide when you can restart.
- Have your teeth checked before starting treatment. Contact your doctor or dentist immediately if you experience mouth, tooth, or jaw pain, swelling, sores, numbness, or loose teeth, especially if you have received bisphosphonate treatment.
- This medicine can cause serious skin problems like painful sores or fast-spreading skin infections. Contact your doctor immediately if you have fever, pain, redness, swelling, pus, or bleeding around a skin wound, or a severe rash with blisters or peeling skin.
- Tell your doctor immediately if you have high blood pressure, headache, or vision loss, especially if you have a history of seizures.
- If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels will be checked regularly. Tell your doctor if you experience symptoms of low blood sugar, such as tiredness, palpitations, sweating, hunger, or fainting.
- Avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking Sunitinib Sandoz.
- If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor. Use reliable birth control during treatment. Do not breastfeed while taking this medicine.
- This medicine can make you dizzy or very tired, affecting your ability to drive or operate machinery. Be careful when performing tasks that require concentration.