About Adcetris: Adcetris contains an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient called brentuximab vedotin . It is a prescription medication used to treat adults with certain types of blood cancer. The brentuximab vedotin may be given with chemotherapy (combination therapy) as your first treatment for:
- Stage-3/4 classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) with medications adriamycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (also known as AVD).
- Certain types of CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas with medications cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone (also known as CHP).
Adcetris (Brentuximab Vedotin) treatment may be given by itself (monotherapy) for:
- Hodgkin lymphoma, that has a high risk of coming back or becoming worse after a stem cell transplant (SCT).
- Hodgkin lymphoma that has returned after an SCT.
- Hodgkin lymphoma after at least 2 chemotherapy treatments and SCT is not an option.
- Systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma that has returned after a multi-agent chemotherapy treatment.
- Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides following systemic therapy (drugs that spread throughout the body).
Dosage and Frequency: The adcetris dosage depends on your body weight. The usual dose of Adcetris administered in combination with doxorubicin, vinblastine and dacarbazine is 1.2 mg/kg given every two weeks for six months.
The usual dose of Adcetris given along with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone is 1.8 mg/kg given every 3 weeks for approximately 4 to 6 months.
Following the first dose of Adcetris along with chemotherapy, your health specialist may also give you a medicine that will help prevent the development or reduce the severity of neutropenia (decrease of WBC count) which may increase the risk of infection. Tell your health specialist in case you have kidney/liver problems as your health specialist may lower your starting dose or may not recommend this medication.
The usual dose of Adcetris administered alone is 1.8 mg/kg, given once every three weeks for no more than one year. Your health specialist may reduce your starting dose to 1.2 mg/kg if you have kidney/liver problems.
This medication is to be given to adults only. It is not for use in children.
Administration: Adcetris should be given for 30 minutes as an intravenous (IV) infusion (directly into the vein) at the doctor’s office or clinic. Those with newly diagnosed peripheral T-cell lymphoma will receive adcetris injection every 3 weeks along with chemo. Those with other types of peripheral T-cell lymphoma will receive this medicinal product by itself every 3 weeks.
Possible Side Effects of Adcetris: Adcetris can be responsible for causing other serious side effects, including:
Allergic and infusion reactions: Allergic reactions, including severe forms, during infusion or up to 24 hours after brentuximab vedotin infusion. In case you have a reaction to the infusion, you may be recommended drugs before your adcetris 50 mg treatment. Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Rash
- Chills
- Breathing problems
Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy): Symptoms include:
- Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet (sensory).
- Weakness in the arms or legs (motor).
Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) can cause other serious side effects, including:
Blood problems/fever: Severe cases, including deaths, of fever with a low number of WBCs (neutropenia) or weakened immune system have occurred with brentuximab vedotin. Symptoms include:
- Chills
- Cough
- Pain on urination
- A fever of 100.5°F or higher
Infections: Serious infections and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses have been reported after treatment with brentuximab vedotin. Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Flu-like symptoms
Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS): TLS is caused by the fast breakdown of cancerous cells. Your health specialist may perform blood tests in order to assess you for TLS.
Skin problems: Rare but severe skin conditions, including deaths, have been reported after treatment with brentuximab vedotin. Symptoms include:
- Skin rash
- Hives
- Sores in the mouth
- Blistering or peeling of the skin
Gastrointestinal (GI) problems: Serious problems, including deaths, related to the pancreas, stomach, intestine, and colon have been reported. Symptoms include:
Vomiting
- Fever
- Chills
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Severe abdominal pain
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia): You can have high blood sugar after treatment with brentuximab vedotin. Symptoms include:
- Frequent urination
- Increased thirst
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- It becomes harder to control your blood sugar
Call your health specialist right away in case you have any of the signs or symptoms of the serious side effects listed above.
The most common side effects in any study of Brentuximab Vedotin 50 mg were:
Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
- Feeling tired
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- A low number of WBCs
- Infection of the nose or sinuses
- Fever
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Hair loss
- Weight loss
- Upper stomach pain
- A low number of RBCs
- Sores or swelling in the mouth
- A low number of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell)
- Sores or swelling in the digestive tract
These are not entirely possible side effects of Brentuximab Vedotin. Inform your health specialist right away in case you have any new symptoms, or symptoms that get worse, while taking Brentuximab Vedotin.
Pregnancy, Breast-feeding and Fertility: You as well as your partner must consider 2 methods of apt contraception while on treatment with brentuximab vedotin injection. Women must continue considering contraception for six months after the last dose of this medication.
You should avoid using this medicine in case you are pregnant unless you and your health specialist decide that the benefit to you outweighs the potential risk to the unborn child.
It is crucial to inform your health specialist prior to and while on treatment in case you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to get pregnant.
In case you are breast-feeding, you should discuss with your health specialist whether you should receive this medication.
Males being treated with brentuximab vedotin are advised to have sperm samples frozen and stored prior to treatment. Males are advised not to father a child while on treatment with this medicinal product and for up to 6 months after the last dose.
Storage: Keep brentuximab vedotin out of the sight and reach of children.
Unopened vial: Store in a refrigerator (2 °C to 8 °C). Do not freeze it. Keep the vial in the original carton to protect from the light.
Reconstituted/diluted solution: Use promptly or store in a refrigerator (2 °C to 8 °C) and use within 24 hours. Do not use brentuximab vedotin in case you observe any particulate matter or discoloration prior to administration.
NOTE: The piece of information provided in this fact sheet is intended to be helpful and educational, but it does not constitute an endorsement by us and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice.
