Saturday 27 June 2020

Erlotinib tablet- Effective Medication To cure Lung Cancer


Erlotinib tablet is one of the most common drugs used for the treatment of lung cancer. It helps to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells in the lungs.

How to use erlotinib tablet?


You can take this medicine by mouth before 1 or 2 hours before or after the meal when your stomach is empty. In a better direction, takes your doctor’s advice. Before taking this medicine, aware your doctor about your previous history and the medicines you are taking whether they are prescription medicine or herbal products.  You should know that taking medicine on the fixed time will help you to stop the growth of cancer cells in your lungs. It is very important to take erlotinib tablets regularly once a day according to the doctor’s advice.

How erlotinib is right now utilized in the center?


Erlotinib tablets was first endorsed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients with cutting edge non-little cell lung malignant growth that had backslid after at any rate one other sort of treatment. Patients taking erlotinib 150 mg ordinarily endure the medication very well. The most widely recognized reactions are a skin rash and the runs.


How long this medicine works?


Erlotinib is profoundly viable in the subset of patients conveying EGFR changes. Be that as it may, even these patients will in the end start to show the movement of their disease after around a year of erlotinib treatment. This is because of the advancement of protection from the medication in the lingering malignant growth cells.


Side effects of Erlotinib Tablets- 


The most common symptoms while taking this medicine includes:

  • Diarrhea
  • Dry skin
  • Muscle pain
  • Mouth sores
  • Unusual eyelash growth
  • Eye dryness
  • Redness of the eye

Diarrhea is the most common side effect of this medicine. Consult your doctor right away if you face any serious side effects that are:

  • Kidney problems
  • Signs of liver disease
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dark urine
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dizziness
  • Fainting

This medicine can cause a mild rash as well so you don’t have to worry if you face any rash.

Precautions:

Before taking this medicine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any acid, if you are pregnant, or if you are facing any other diseases like diabetes and blood pressure issues. This medicine can cause bleeding in the stomach as well. This tablet is not established for patients younger than 18 years old. Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking this medicine. Avoid this medicine if you are planning to conceive a baby because it may be harmful to the unborn baby.

What if you miss a regular dose intake?

If you missed a dose, take it as soon as possible but only on an empty stomach. Do not take any extra medicine to overdose yourself. If you overdose the medicine, immediately calls your doctor to lower the risk of side effects.

Conclusion:

This medicine is one of the most effective lung cancer medications which doctors highly recommended. Kindly take care of yourself and eat healthy to stay healthy.

Read:- Indications and dosage of Erlotinib tablets

Friday 26 June 2020

Important things to be kept in mind during and after Breast Cancer treatment


Breast cancer is a type of cancer that forms cancer cells in the breast. It is considered to be the most common cancer diagnosed in women all around the world. It can occur to both men and women but it is common in women after the age of 40.

The most common warning alarms of breast cancers are

  • A lump in a breast or underarm
  • Irritation of breast skin
  • Swelling of part of the breast
  • Redness on the breast
  • Nipple discharge other than breast milk 
  • Discharge of blood through the nipple

Four main types of breast cancer are:

  • Invasive ductal carcinomas,
  • Inflammatory breast cancer
  • Ductal carcinoma in situ
  • Metastatic breast cancer

Prevention of Breast Cancer 

  • You should check your weight frequently
  • You should be physically active 
  • You should eat fruits and vegetables 
  • You should avoid too much alcohol
  • You should stay away from smoking
  • Breastfeed is an important component to reduce the risk of breast cancer
  • You should avoid birth control pills after the age of 35
  • You should avoid post-menopausal hormones
  • You should know about your family history 
  • After the age of 40, don’t forget to screen yourself 

Get Diagnosed during the Early Stage of Breast Cancer 


Breast cancer cells are easily visible in the chest X-ray, if you feel or face any kind of sign of breast cancer, immediately consult your doctor. Breast cancer cells also spread to the other parts of the body. If you feel any change in your breast, the following are the test doctor will recommend you during the breast cancer diagnosis.

Mammogram: if there is any change in your mammogram, it’s the first sign of having breast cancer.

MRI scan: in this scan, to make the final results, strong radio waves and magnets are used to determine whether you have breast cancer or not

Breast ultrasound: a small wand is moved around your skin to determine breast cancer. Ultrasound helps to see the lump.

Nipple discharge scan: if any nipple discharge is coming out from your nipple, you can send it to the lab to examine the breast cancer.

Treatment of breast cancer: 


There are many ways to treat breast cancer nowadays due to advanced technologies.
Before any treatment, your doctor will recommend a breast biopsy. In a breast biopsy, a small piece of breast tissue is taken to check the cancer cells.
Surgery and radiation are one of the treatments which are used to reduce the growth of breast cancer cell in the breast.

Other treatment includes:

  • Chemotherapy
  • Hormones treatment 
  • Targeted therapy 
  • Immunotherapy drugs 

These treatments go through the whole body and affect the system. The treatment is planned according to the situation of your body and the growth of cancer cells.

After the treatment is successfully over, you need to consult to your doctor frequently for years. Always follow the doctor's advice and take care of your diet and routine.

Breast cancer medications list:

Medicines approved to prevent breast cancer: 
  • Evista 
  • Tamoxifen 

Effective Medications for Breast Cancer 
  • Abemaciclib
  • Docetaxel 
  • 5-Fu
  • Olaparib 
  • Thiotepa 
  • Ribociclib

Ribociclib 200 mg- Ribociclib 200 mg is used to treat breast cancer. You can take the medicine by mouth. You don’t have to chew or break the tablet into pieces to swallow. Don’t overdose on this medicine. Take the medicine daily once in a day.
Avoid taking grapefruit while taking the medicine. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor and clear your situation because it might affect the unborn baby.

Side effects: 

Tiredness
Diarrhea
Headache
Back pain
Nausea
Vomiting

Conclusion:
Breast cancer is a curable disease so don’t panic and if you feel any sign, consult your doctor as soon as possible for the curable treatment. It is advisable to follow your doctor and take care of yourself.

Tuesday 23 June 2020

Favipiravir is the first drug approved by DCGI for COVID-19 Patients in India- Know more


Glenmark has filed a product for a clinical trial with India’s Drug regulatory body DCGI and became the first company in India to receive approval for conducting Covid-19 patients treatment. The drug Favipiravir has been tested successfully and it will be available in the upcoming weeks.

Many Pharmaceutical companies have launched generic versions of Remdesivir and Favipiravir for Covid-19 treatment, experts said that the results have shown a positive impact on the patients. The pharmaceutical companies have received approval to manufacture and market this drug meanwhile, Glenmark has launched this drug under the brand name FabiFlu, an oral medication.

According to the press release, Glenmark has issued approval on 20 June and the company has developed the ingredients successfully in its own in-house.

FabiFlu is the first approved oral medication for Covid-19 patients, after getting approval from DCGI this antiviral drug will be marketed to different parts of the country.  The approval has come at the right time when Covid-19 cases are increasing like never before.

What is Favipiravir’s oral medication?


This antiviral medication was first developed in Japan for treating Influenza, now it is tested on more than 15 clinical trials for Covid-19 till now most of the studies reflect positive results.

This drug is said to control the effects of Covid-19 patients within four days. It has shown more than 80% of clinical improvements in Covid-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms. This medicine will be administered to patients between 18-75 years of age.

Glenmark Pharma said that Covid-19  patients with co-related conditions such as heart diseases or diabetes can also have this medicine. Fabiflu 200 mg is a prescription based medication, the recommended dose is 200 mg daily twice and it will be followed by 800 mg up to the next 14 days.

Why does Favipiravir work effectively?


This drug has efficacy as it works by preventing the virus from duplicating its genetic material. This drug showed strong inhibitory action against fever and cough. RNA polymerase or RNA dependent on most of the viruses with RNA genome.  It proved as effective medication during flu.

As per medical experts, Favipiravir is the game-changer for Covid-19 patients.  This medication has to be given in the early days of the treatment and it can be given in the form of a tablet.

Initially, Favipiravir 200 mg will be available at the hospitals and retail stores. The price for 1 strip will cost Rs 3500 as Glenmark said.

The improvement was shown in Covid-19 patients with Favipiravir 200mg tablet 


Glenmark said that Favipiravir has shown improvements in the Covid-19 patients with a rapid boost in the recovery. This drug was tested on Indian patients to know the drug’s potency and standard safety care of patients. This study has enrolled more than 100 patients and results are yet to be disclosed.

This drug has shown rapid recovery and relieved the patients from extreme fever and cough.

Presently Glenmark’s priority is to capture the Indian market and later it will export the drug.

Read:- Branded Medication vs Generic Medication vs Branded Generic

Monday 22 June 2020

Difference between Branded medication, Generic medication, and Branded generic medication

branded medicine vs generic medicine

Improve the quality of life by choosing the right medicine!

Health products and medicines play a significant role in reducing the physical and mental pain that we bear due to any reason. They help in addressing medical issues and also improve the quality of life and health.  They control chronic conditions while strengthening our immune system. Are you on any medication? Has any health issue troubled you? If the answer to the above questions is yes, then this article will be beneficial in addressing your problem.

This article discusses three types of medication. It is important to know the differences among branded medication, generic branded medication, and generic medication before starting any course of the drug. Their features and usage in our everyday lives are defined below.

Branded Medication-


Branded medicines are the original medicines used for the advertising purpose in which a specific name is given to a medicine by a company to show its originality. These medicines are the most known and trusted medicines that help to improve the quality of life. They are manufactured by health professionals and reputed companies that invest a huge sum of money to gain the right to make their medicines patent. Once the recognition gets expired, the other pharmaceutical companies will possess the right to manufacture its generic version.

Branded medication is expensive because of its authenticity and advertisement in the market. The major advantage of branded medication is that it is genuine and the high price is sole the disadvantage.

What is Generic Medication? Why is it preferable?


Generic medicines are a copy of the branded medicines that are cheaper in price than the latter ones. The quality and type of inactive ingredients used are slightly different from the original product but affect the body in the same way. They are sold under different names and are also different in taste, smell, texture, and shape but do not react negatively in the body. In other words, we can say that generic drugs are the duplicate of branded drugs. For instance, Metform, the name of a generic medicine used to control diabetes is the copyright of a branded medicine called Glucophage. Generic Medication is economic. A generic medicine is not advertised as the branded medication hence, it is cheaper and more affordable than branded medication.

Consumers are most concerned about the originality of the medicine. They prefer branded medicines of high quality and will give good results. They hesitate to buy generic medicine's effects. However, the truth of the matter is that its side effects and other characteristics are the same as branded medicines. Therefore, it is not worrisome to speculate about the effectiveness of both the medications. The myth that generic medicines are manufactured in an inferior quality than branded medication is advised to be ignored.

Generic Branded Medication-


The third type of medication is generic branded medicines. Generic branded medicines are usually the generic drugs that have given are given the rights and suitable names for the advertising. They are marketed similarly as branded medicines and are made up of patent drugs produced in small amounts. Pharmaceutical industries gain profits from these medicines. It is easy to get confused between generic branded medicines and branded medicine because of the common features but differ in some characteristics. In terms of price, both branded medication and generic medication are costly than generic medications.

When a doctor writes a prescription, the patient has options to choose among the three different types of medication when buying from any pharmaceutical wholesaler. It depends on the customer which one will suit them the most. People usually prefer generic medicines due to its effectiveness and price. It is the widely consumed medication among the three versions because of its easy access.

Most importantly, user instructions should be read before buying the medicines to prevent any mishap as there can be an ingredient that might be allergic to the patient. It is recommended to consult your doctor first before taking any medicine. The risk of side effects is high and can cause long term ailment.

If you live alone at home and there is an emergency, then some self-medication is helpful only if you know the symptoms and the right medicine which can help you for time being until an ambulance arrives or you go to the doctor.

Intake of the medicine on time as prescribed by the doctor is very important for a patient. Inappropriate follow-up of course of medicine can be problematic for the patient because some medicines are supposed to work in the morning and some at night.  You might need a proper sleep after swallowing them. Therefore, changing the time according to your comfort can disturb your health.

Hence, medicines are substantial for our life and should be taken as required. The time-table of medicine should be followed religiously and maintain regular contact with your doctor if the patient has serious health issues. We should try not to eat any medicine without the doctor's consultancy because it is necessary to ask a doctor before eating medicine. We wish you good health and prosperous life.

Read:- Why Indian generic medications?

Medical treatment for Psoriatic Arthritis Patients

psoriatic arthritis

PRESCRIBING INFORMATION: “For full information read PI" and consult Physician before initiating any treatment.

Arthritis is a condition in which a patient suffers inflammation, pain, and stiffness on one or more joints. Psoriatic Arthritis is a form of common arthritis that mainly affects people having psoriasis. Psoriasis is a condition in which red patches of skin with silvery scales are developed over healthy skin; patients having psoriatic arthritis may have psoriasis first in the past.
The major symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis include stiffness in joints, swelling, inflammation, and joint pain.
The medications and treatment methods of psoriatic arthritis are only to control the damage to joints and its symptoms. There is no guaranteed cure for this disease till date. In the lack of proper psoriatic arthritis treatment, the patients may suffer from disabilities.


Some of the medical treatment of psoriatic arthritis: 

The main purpose of using psoriatic Arthritis medication is to control the symptoms of this disease and enhance the mobility of joints. Some medication is discussed below:

Apremilast: Apremilast is sold under the brand name Otezla. This drug belongs to phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor class drug that is used for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis. This drug is also very effective in the treatment of patients suffering from moderate to severe plaque psoriasis waiting for systemic therapy.
It is available in tablet form of different concentrations such as 10mg, 20mg, and 30 MG. Apremilast 30 mg is taken orally daily with or without food. The dosage of apremilast tablets should be according to doctor's prescription. The tablet should be taken as a whole without breaking or munching it.

 The most common side effects of Otezla 30 mg are headache, nausea, and diarrhea, depression, and weight loss. In some cases, a patient may develop serial hypersensitivity due to apremilast. In such cases of hypersensitivity discontinue the drug immediately. 

Etanercept: This drug belongs to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker class that works by inhibiting the Alpha-TNF of tumor cells. Along with the treatment of psoriatic Arthritis this drug is also used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis.
It is available in single-use vials of 25mg and 50mg which is injected intravenously. 
The common side effects of this drug are vomiting, stomach pain, headache, mild nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, redness at the injection site, and weight changes. Etanercept is not recommended in combination with live vaccines cyclophosphamide Anakinra and abatacept.

Adalimumab: This is used for the treatment of active Arthritis which was by reducing the signs and symptoms and inhibiting the progression of structural damage. It is available in a single-use vial containing 40mg/0.8ml. The vial should be thrown away after the single-use. Also known as Humira pen.
Some common adverse reactions of this medication are Rash, headache, upper respiratory tract infection, and injection site reaction.

Some common precautions while using this drug are heart failure, hepatitis B virus reactivation, cytopenia, lupus-like syndrome, serious infection, and malignancy. There is no possible contraindication of Adalimumab.


Infliximab: this drug reduces the science and symptoms of active Psoriatic Arthritis and improves physical functioning. This medication decreases the swelling and weakness of the immune system caused due to psoriatic arthritis. This drug is available as 100mg of lyophilized infliximab in 20 ml vial.
The recommended concentration to be used in the case of active disease is about 5mg/kg at 0,2,6,8 weeks.
 Some common adverse reactions of this medication are headache, infusion-related reactions, upper respiratory sinusitis, abdominal pain, and pharyngitis.

Tofacitinib: This drug is used in a patient who has active Psoriatic Arthritis and the patient has inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate or other antirheumatic Drugs. This medicine is available in tablet form of concentration 5mg, 10mg, and 11mg. Patients having severe or moderate psoriatic arthritis are recommended to take tofacitinib 5 mg daily.
Patients taking tofacitinib may suffer from diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and nasopharyngitis. Some important precautions that should be taken care of while taking tofacitinib include gastrointestinal perforation, severe infection, live vaccination, and laboratory monitoring. There is no possible contraindication of this drug however breastfeeding is strictly not advised by the woman taking this particular drug.

Prednisone: It is a corticosteroid that is used as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agent in the treatment of several diseases such as psoriatic arthritis, allergy, or organ transplantation. It is available in tablet form of concentration 1mg, 2mg, and 5 mg.
Some common side effects of this drug are elevation in blood pressure, alteration in glucose tolerance, fluid retention, increased appetite, mood change, and weight gain. This tablet is contraindicated to be used in any patient having allergy with any component of this defined tablet. This drug can be used alone or in combination with other medications have ever it is not recommended to be used along with anticoagulant or antidiabetic medication.

Ustekinumab: This refers to a class known as human interleukin-12 and 23 antagonists which is used in the treatment of adult patients suffering from active psoriatic arthritis either alone or in combination with methotrexate. This medicine is available in different concentrations and is recommended by a doctor according to age, weight, and stage of infection. The injection is either injected intravenously or intra subcutaneously.
Some popular negative reactions of this medication are upper respiratory tract infection, headache, nasopharyngitis, and fatigue.

Certolizumab Pegol: This drug is useful in the treatment of active Arthritis which works by blocking the Alpha tumor necrosis factor. It is available in an injection form containing 200mg lyophilized powder. Some common adverse reactions of this drug are urinary tract infection, rash, and upper respiratory tract infection.

Golimumab: it belongs to tumor necrosis factor blockage class used in the treatment of active psoriatic patients when used in combination with methotrexate. It is given in injection form containing 50mg/0.5ml and 100mg/1mL. 
The most common negative reaction of golimumab includes injection site reaction, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and viral infection.

Dexamethasone: This drug is actively used in the treatment of active psoriatic Arthritis in an adult patient. This drug is either used singly or in combination with other medications. The dosage of dexamethasone depends upon the medical condition and response rate of the treatment.
Some common side effects of the drug are headache, increased appetite, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, heartburn, swelling in ankles, muscle weakness, increased blood sugar level, impaired wound healing, and irritability.


Read:- What is psoriatic arthritis

Friday 19 June 2020

List of Prostate Cancer Medications

prostate cancer medications

Prostate cancer is the development of cancer in the prostate, a specific kind of gland that exists in the reproductive system of males. Most of the prostate cancers usually grow slowly. However, a few grow relatively very quickly.
Initially, there are often no signs and symptoms. When signs and symptoms do appear, they may be like BPH or an enlarged prostate. Prostate cancer may also cause signs and symptoms unrelated to BPH. In case of urinary problems, a respective patient should be instructed to talk with their healthcare professional about them.
Symptoms of prostate cancer can be:

  • Dull pain in the lower pelvic area
  • Frequent urination
  • Trouble urinating
  • Pain or  burning while urinating
  • Weak urine flow
  • Blood in the urine  
  • Painful ejaculation
  • Loss of appetite
  • Loss of weight
  • Bone pain 
  • Pain in the upper thighs
  • Pain lower back or hips

There are several drugs that are useful in the treatment of prostate cancer. These medicines are either used in combination with chemotherapy drug for targeted therapy

1. Abiraterone Acetate: This drug belongs to the CYP17 inhibitor class. It is combined with prednisone for the treatment of patients suffering from metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have at least received any wire chemotherapy combined with docetaxel. This medicine is an inhibitor of CYP2D6 ( hepatic drug metabolism enzyme). This prostate cancer medicine is not co-administered with CYP2D6.
Abiraterone is available in a concentration of 250 mg and is prescribed to take daily or twice daily with or without food.
Some common side effects of Abiraterone 250 mg include diarrhea, cough, joint swelling, hypokalemia, muscle discomfort, hot flush, hypertension, urinary frequency, edema, and nocturia.

2. Enzalutamide: This drug is basically an androgen receptor inhibitor that is recommended to use for the metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment, for patients who have received docetaxel therapy.
This drug is present in capsule form of strength 40 mg which is administered orally with or without food. The capsule should be swollen whole.
Some common adverse reactions of this drug are lower respiratory infection, upper respiratory infection, peripheral, peripheral edema, headache, musculoskeletal pain, muscular weakness, tiredness, Insomnia, dizziness, hypertension, anxiety, spinal cord compression, paraesthesia, and fatigue.
Enzalutamide 40 mg is not recommended to be used in pregnant women as it may cause embryo-fetal toxicity.

3. Docetaxel: This drug is a microtubule inhibitor that is used for the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). It is one of the most common chemotherapies in the UK of men having advanced prostate cancer.
This drug is available in injection form of multiple-dose vial strength 20mg/2ml, 80mg/8ml, and 160mg/16 ml.
Some common side effects of this drug are dizziness, weakness, paraesthesia, hypertension, insomnia, musculoskeletal pain, headache, edema, and upper respiratory tract infection.

4. Cabazitaxel: It belongs to the microtubule in a better class that is combined with other medications for the treatment of hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer. It is generally used in the patient who has received previous therapy of docetaxel containing treatment.
This therapy is offered when the patient stops responding to docetaxel. It is available in a single vial containing 60mg/1.5ml.
Some common adverse reactions of this injection include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, neutropenia, anemia, back pain, abdominal pain, pyrexia, peripheral neuropathy, and leukopenia.

5. Darolutamide: This drug belongs to the androgen receptor in a better class drug that works for the treatment of non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
It is available in tablet form of concentration 300mg which is administered twice daily.
The most common side effect of this medication is fatigue, pain, and discomfort

6. Olaparib: This drug is used for the treatment of prostate cancer that is castration-resistant and metastasis which has a mutation in several genes involved in the homologous recombination repair pathway. It is generally used in a patient whose condition has worsened after the treatment of abiraterone or enzalutamide.
Some common side effects include nausea, nausea, decreased hemoglobin, abdominal pain, decreased white blood cell count, upper respiratory tract infection, anemia, and fatigue.

7. Apalutamide: It refers to androgen receptor inhibitor class medication. This drug is used in the therapy of non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer as well as metastatic Castration sensitive prostate cancer.
 It is available in a tablet form of concentration 60 mg which is administered orally once in a day, with or without food.
Some common adverse reactions of this drug are hair loss, depressed mood, bloating or swelling of face, muscle cramps, muscle pain, husky voice, muscle stiffness, and feeling cold.

8. Degarelix: It is a GnRH receptor antagonist in the treatment of patients suffering from advanced prostate cancer.
This drug is injected intravenously and is available in a single vial of concentration 80 mg and 120 my.
Some common reactions of this medication are weight gain, hot flashes, redness and swelling in Eyes, injection site pain, and an increase in some liver enzymes.

9. Bicalutamide: It is used in the treatment of stage D2 metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. It belongs to the androgen receptor inverter class truck that is combined with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog.
It is available in tablet form of concentration 50 mg. This tablet is consumed once in a day, with or without food. This drug is contraindicated to be used in pregnant women and patients suffering from hypersensitivity.
Some common adverse reactions of this medication include blood in urine, bloating and swelling of body parts, headache, difficulty in breathing, cough producing mucus, congestion, dryness of throat, and weight gain.

10. Leuprolide: This medicine is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone used for the treatment of advanced prostatic cancer.
It is available in dual-chamber serials of concentration 7.5mg, 22.5mg, 30mg, and 45mg.
Some common side effects of this drug are hot flashes, weight gain, mood change, headache, testicle in body, body pain, redness in eyes, and decrease testicle size.

11. Nilutamide: Nilutamide specifically is a nonsteroidal antiandrogen (NSAA) which is prescribed in order to treat prostate cancer. 
Nilutamide comes in the form of tablets, acts as a selective antagonist of the androgen receptor (AR), in order to prevent the effects of androgens like dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone in the body.
Certain side effects in men include breast tenderness and enlargement, hot flashes, sexual dysfunction, and feminization. Nausea, visual disturbances, vomiting, alcohol intolerance, elevated liver enzymes, and lung disease may occur in the both sexes.

12. Rucaparib Camsylate: Rucaparib is used for treating adult patients with a deleterious BRCA mutation linked with mCRPC who have been taken treatment with androgen receptor- directed therapy as well as a taxane-based chemotherapy. 
Rucaparib comes in the form of tablets. The recommended dosage needs to be given orally twice in a day either with or without food.
Some most commonly reported adverse reactions of Rucaparib among patients with BRCA-mutated mCRPC include: rash, nausea, fatigue, anemia, ALT/AST increased, decreased appetite, constipation, thrombocytopenia, vomiting, and diarrhea.

13. Goserelin Acetate: As an injectable gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH agonist), Goserelin used in order to suppress the production of the sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen), particularly in the treatment of prostate cancer. 
Goserelin comes in order to be administered subcutaneously. 
This medication may cause hot flashes, bone pain, headache, depression, stomach upset, difficulty urinating (isolated cases), weight gain, swelling and tenderness of breasts, decreased sexual desire and decreased. 


NOTE: The piece of information mentioned about "List of Prostate Cancer Medications" in this article is just for the informational purposes and is not served as a substitute for medical treatment, consultation, diagnosis of a qualified doctor.


Monday 15 June 2020

CAN A MEN GET BREAST CANCER?

What is Breast Cancer:

Breast cancer develops when the normal cells of the breast grow out of control.
These abnormally growing cells form tumors and can be detected with the help of X-Ray or can be felt as a lump the tumor can both be metastasized or malignant.


Breast Cancer in Men: 

Breast cancer mainly occurs in women but this can also be in men too.  A lot of people do not know that men also have breast tissue and there are also chances of developing breast cancer.
Before puberty, both boys and girls have a small amount of breast tissue but at hitting, puberty stage girls ovary produces female hormones that cause the growth of breast duct and lobules. However, in boys, there is a low level of female hormones and thus breast tissues only have had duct but only a few lobules that are not functional.
Breast cancer can begin from numerous parts of the breast. Most of the breast cancer begins in the nipple known as ductal cancer and sometimes in breast milk glands called globular cancers.
Breast cancer is very rare in men but the survival rate in the early stage of breast cancer is lesser in males as compared to females. Men diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage live for about 6 years while in a female it is extended up to 15 years.


Breast Cancer Treatment in Male: 

There are several treatment methods of breast cancer in men. Some of the methods are common in both males and females. However, the most successful treatment is medication.
The best medication for breast cancer is Ribociclib 200mg.

It belongs to kinase inhibitor class drug that works by for the treatment of postmenopausal women which hormone receptor-positive. It is very effective in the case of breast cancer in the male.

Kryxana 200 mg is an inhibitor of cyclin D1/CDK4 and CDK6 and is used for the treatment of breast cancer in men and women. There are certain proteins in the body that grow and divide continuously. Patients having ER-positive and HER2-negative the protein of growth become overactive and thus continued division occurs by blocking this specific protein and stopping further division and growth. When this drug is combined with other hormonal therapy drugs the estrogen production gets blocked and cancerous cells lead to death.

Ribociclib 200mg is available in tablet form. It is taken orally with or without food in combination with letrozole. The highly recommended dose is 3 tablets of 200 mg taken for 21 days followed by 7 days off treatment.

Friday 12 June 2020

Tofacitinib uses and its side effects


tofacitinib tablets

  • Tofacitinib is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when other treatments do not work.
  • It is also used to treat active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) when other medicines do not work.
  • This can be also recommended to used in the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) when other medicines do not work 

What Tofacitinib does? 

The drug is believed in order to interfere with the activity of an enzyme known as Janus kinase (JAK), which mainly activates other cellular components that normally initiate the immune response in the body. By reducing the immune response xeljanz 5 mg reduces the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. It also reduces the sign and symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

Serious Warning and Precautions: Xeljanz is basically a kind of drug which is responsible in order to affect the immune system and can decrease the ability of the body to fight off infections such as TB (tuberculosis), and other infections that caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. These infections can be responsible for death or hospitalization. Most patients who developed these infections were taking other medicines that make it harder to fight infections at the same time such as methotrexate or corticosteroids. You should not be using it if you have any sort of infection related disease.

  • If a serious infection develops, do not take it, and immediately discuss with your doctor.
  • Your doctor will closely monitor you for the signs and symptoms of infection during and after the treatment with this medicine.
  • Lymphoma, some other cancers and also other serious events have been observed in patients who were treated with the Xeljanz
  • Blood clots in the veins of your legs or arms (deep vein thrombosis, DVT), arteries (arterial thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) can happen in some people with this drug. This may be life-threatening.
  • If you develop any signs or symptoms of a blood clot in your leg (such as swelling, pain or tenderness in the leg) or in your lung (such as sudden unexplained chest pain or shortness of breath) stop Tofacitinib and seek immediate medical help.


Interactions with this medication: It is crucial that your healthcare professional be aware about all the drugs or medications you are consuming prior to initiating the xeljanz including biologics such as CimziaTM, Enbrel, Cosentyx, Humira, Kineret, Remicade, Orencia, Rituxan, Entyvio, SimponiTM, and Stelara.

  • Tell your healthcare team if you are consuming immunosuppressants (e.g. azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, tacrolimus, sirolimus, cyclosporine), antiarrhythmics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, cholinesterase inhibitors, HIV protease inhibitors, rifampin, ketoconazole, fluconazole. 
  • Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you have taken any vaccines (shots) within 1 month prior to initiating this medicine.
  • Avoid grapefruit juice.
  • St. John’s Wort (an herbal drug also known as the hypericum perforatum) could reduce the response to Xeljanz.


When it should not be recommended:  If you are allergic to it or any other non-medicinal ingredients in xeljanz (Tofacitinib), you should not take this drug.  You should avoid this medication if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.  Do not consume this medicine while breast-feeding or intend to breast-feed. Talk to your doctor about how to feed your child while taking Tofacitinib 5 mg. Patients with severe liver insufficiency strictly avoid the consumption of this medication.

Contraindications: Tofacitinib is contraindicated:

  • In those patients who are with known hypersensitivity to this medication. 
  • In patients with severe hepatic impairment.
  • During pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Side Effects of Tofacitinib: 

These are not all the possible side effects you may feel when taking this medication. If you observe any adverse effects, which are not listed here, talk to your healthcare professional. The side effects of Xeljanz include:

  • Rash
  • Cough
  • Dizziness
  • Vomiting
  • Back pain
  • Headache
  • Diarrhea
  • Joint pain
  • Muscle weakness
  • Pain 
  • Upper respiratory tract infections
  • Nausea 
  • Indigestion
  • Upset stomach
  • Nasopharyngitis
  • Nose or throat infection
  • Runny or stuffy nose 
Overdose: By mistake, if someone consumed an overdose, immediately discuss with their healthcare professional, regional Poison Control Centre, or nearest hospital emergency department, even if there are no signs and symptoms.

Missed Dose: If you have missed your dose, take the next dose as planned at the next scheduled time. Never consume a couple of doses in order to make up for the forgotten dose.

Tofacitinib Cost: The cost of tofacitinib is quite affordable. A respective patient can purchase it through any legitimate pharmaceuticals wholesalers.  It should be consumed with or without meals.

How to store it: This drug should be stored between 15°C-30°C. And should be placed at a safer place.

FAQ's

What is Tofacitinib?
Tofacitinib was approved by the FDA in the year 2012. It is specifically a Janus Kinase 1 and 3 (JAK) inhibitor, meaning it is designed in order to block the enzymes that generally are responsible for causing specific inflammatory reactions in the body.

What is Tofacitinib Used For?
Tofacitinib basically is an anti-inflammatory medication, typically used in order to treat the arthritic conditions as well as ulcerative colitis.

What are the Potential Risks or Side Effects of Tofacitinib?
When taking treatment at a higher dosage, this medication may be responsible for causing the following side effects:
  • Diarrhea
  • Rash
  • Singles
  • Headache
  • Serious infections
  • Cancer
  • Blood clots
  • Stroke
  • Death
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Cold-like symptoms
  • Deep vein thrombosis
Can Tofacitinib be responsible for causing the cancer?
Tofacitinib may be responsible for increasing the probability of developing the certain cancers risk (lymphoma and other cancers including skin cancers) in order to affect the mechanism of the immune system. So, inform your healthcare professional in case you ever had/have any kind of cancer.

How long does it take for Tofacitinib to start working?
Tofacitinib treatment usually takes about 2-8 weeks prior to start feeling good, and it may take 3-6 months to feel the desired effect of tofacitinib.

In case I'm already taking tocilizumab, can I take Tofacitinib?
No, you need to avoid taking tofacitinib together with tocilizumab  with. This medicine affects the immune system, so you do not need to take it along with any other immunity affecting medication. Using both medications together may further increase the probability of infection and could lead to the further complications.


NOTE: The piece of information mentioned about "Tofacitinib Uses and its Side Effects" in this article is just for the informational purposes and is not served as a substitute for medical treatment, consultation, diagnosis of a qualified doctor.

Wednesday 10 June 2020

Why do most of the overseas countries choose Indian market for medications?

Why Indian pharmaceuticals for medications

It is quite hard to ignore the Indian market which is full of pharmaceuticals wholesalers such as Ikris Pharma Network and others. Foreign companies view India as a potential significant contributor of future sales and are ramping up their investments in the country accordingly. The domestic market of India looks promising for global pharma looking forward to launching new products. The country has potential in various phases including  R&D, clinical trials, and contract manufacturing, which helps it in making a preferred outsourcing partner for the global pharma for the perspective of the value chain. Foreign pharmaceutical companies are quite eager in order to enter the Indian market for medication.

One approach is to call on India’s increasing expertise in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and clinical testing. There are several overseas firms or companies that have outsourced research and clinical trials to Indian contractors, while some others have entered into the collaborative Research & Development arrangements to supplement their R&D productivity. Numerous foreign companies have also already initiated research on neglected diseases. We believe that many more will do so, as the patent regime is strengthening. This will enable them to capitalize on the cost savings to be gained from shifting some research activities to India, without jeopardising their most valuable intellectual property.

Developed Domestic Market:

Moving on to another approach, which is to tap into the growing domestic market. Foreign companies or firms with a product portfolio spanning across different therapeutics segments can look at bringing newer products in India by entering into collaborative networks across the value chain, from sourcing and manufacturing to marketing and distribution.
In the domestic market, IKRIS PHARMA is fast growing International pharmaceutical wholesalers with the expertise in named patient import services. The company facilitates patients in accessing medicines and other pharmaceutical products which are not registered or unavailable in their local country.

Promising Pricing: 

India’s pharma market is highly fragmented and remains extremely price sensitive. Affordable healthcare continues to pose a challenge, although there are a number of healthcare initiatives by the Government underway to improve the situation for India’s vast population. Courts and regulatory authorities of India are very sensitive in order to pricing issues in the making decisions around intellectual property. Newcomers, pharmaceuticals wholesalers or companies in India may need to go with the differential pricing. They will need to evaluate access to medicines, a volume-based pricing strategy and take into account gradually increasing per capita incomes to come up with acceptable price levels for their drugs. Global pharma firms would  need to determine how to initiate manufacturing their products. Also, identify and develop rigid local partners.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Drug: 

One way to build a presence in India may be through an increased presence in the OTC market. Promoting a variety of OTC products can serve as means of building the brand awareness and as a big source of new revenues. Indigenous producers dominate the generics business, and about 97% of all drugs sold in India are already off patent. The over-the-counter drug, HIV medications and oncology medications, etc, market is by contrast relatively fully undeveloped. Indian consumers already pay privately for the lion’s share of their healthcare, and the Government is too hampered by budgetary constraints to reverse this pattern. In the upcoming time, it seems likely that access to over-the-counter drugs will be enhanced and the market would continue to expand.

India’s appeal is growing rapidly in a number of respects. It has long been playing a formidable role in the phase of pharmaceutical manufacturing, but its socio-economic qualities provide even high grade grounds for optimism. If the specific economy outpaces that of every other developing or emerging nation for the upcoming half of the century, as many commentators have expected, immense portions of the population would be able to access and afford newer drugs. India’s boosting scientific strength and expertise would also equip it to play an essential role in order to R&D of  those medications. It has a large pool of highly educated, English speaking scientists who can undertake research and conduct trials more cheaply and in some cases faster than their Western peers. In this way these are the major benefits in a world where the cost in development of drugs are soaring and also getting to market fast is vital.

Monday 8 June 2020

Breast Cancer Symptoms and Diagnosis

Breast Cancer Symptoms and Diagnosis

What is Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the milk-producing glands of the breast or in the passages (ducts) that deliver milk to the nipples.

What are the 4 Types of Breast Cancer: 

Types of breast cancer are illustrated as follows:

  • Ductal carcinoma in situ
  • Invasive ductal carcinoma
  • Inflammatory breast cancer
  • Metastatic breast cancer

Metastatic breast cancer can be classified as Stage 4 breast cancer. The cancer starts to develop the other organs of the body.

How Does Breast Cancer Start: Changes or mutations in the DNA may cause the normal breast cells in order to become cancer. Certain changes in the DNA are passed on from parents (inherited) and can highly increase the risk for breast cancer. There are some other number of factors that have been shown to increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer:

Age: Most of the breast cancer cases appear in women who are over the age of 50.
Family history: If a female has a family or personal history of breast cancer she is more likely at the risk of developing breast cancer.

Clinical history: Women who previously suffered with benign breast cancer are at the higher risk of developing breast cancer in the future.
A late first pregnancy: Women who suffered from a late first pregnancy (over the age of 35 years) more likely occurred breast cancer.
Lifestyle factors: For instance, being overweight, physical inactivity, a high fat diet and high alcohol consumption could be responsible for developing breast cancer.

Symptoms and Diagnosis: The signs and symptoms of initial stage breast cancer may often go undetected. The common signs of breast cancer are summarised below:

  • A rigid lump developing in the armpit or breast typically occurs painless on one side only.
  • A change in the size or shape of the breast, including indentation, ‘growing’ (particularly prominent) veins or skin erosion.
  • Changes in the skin include dimpling, bumps, hardening,  redness or an orange peel like appearance.
  • Changement in the nipple including retraction, the secretion of unusual discharge or a rash around the nipple area.

Breast Cancer Treatment: The treatment of breast cancer depends upon the size of the tumor, type of breast cancer, stage and grade of cancer and to determine whether the cancerous tissue is sensitive to hormones or not.

There are several treatment methods which are mentioned below:

  • Breast surgery: In this case, either one of the breasts is removed or both breasts are removed according to the chances of metastasis of cancer cells.
  • Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy is used to kill the cancerous cells with the help of a high energy beam. Radiation therapy is also used after the surgery to wipe out any left cancer cell.
  • Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is used to destroy fast-growing cancer cells with the help of a combination of different medications.
  • Hormonal therapy: Hormone-blocking therapy is used in the treatment of breast cancer that is sensitive to hormones. This treatment method is effective against progesterone receptor-positive and estrogen receptor-positive cancers.
  • Immunotherapy: This technique is used to strengthen the immune system of the body so that it can fight against cancerous cells with the help of drugs.
  • Targeted therapy: This targeted therapy drugs used to treat breast cancer by blocking the normal functioning of Cancer cells. Ribociclib 200 mg is one of the most promising medication for the treatment of breast cancer.

What is Ribociclib Used For:

Ribociclib is indicated in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (such as letrozole) to treat HR-positive, HER2-negative metastatic or advanced breast cancer.
It is a prescription medicine used in combination with a certain type of medicine as the first hormonal based therapy to treat women who have gone through menopause with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).

Side Effects: The most common side effects of Ribociclib 200 mg Tablets in studies were decreased blood cell counts, mainly neutropenia, but also anemia. Gastrointestinal disorders were also common, for example, nausea and diarrhea, as was alopecia.The drug may also increase QT time and liver enzymes such as alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase.

Read:- Medications which are helpful in the treatment of Multiple Myeloma

Friday 5 June 2020

Metastatic Non Small cell lung cancer treatment guidelines

Metastatic Non Small cell lung cancer treatment guidelines

Introduction to lung cancer:


  • Lung cancer arises from cells in the lung that have grown abnormally and multiplied to form a lump or tumour.
  • Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a type of lung cancer, which is differentiated from small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) because of the way the tumour cells look under a microscope. The three main types of NSCLC are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell (undifferentiated) carcinoma of the lung, all are described below. They are diagnosed in the same way but may be treated differently.
  • Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in Europe; NSCLC represents 85–90% of all lung cancers. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for the development of lung cancer.

Diagnosis of NSCLC: 

Lung cancer may be suspected if a person has symptoms such as persistent cough or chest infection, breathlessness, hoarseness, chest pain or coughing up blood. Other symptoms may be fever, appetite loss, unexplained weight loss and fatigue.
Following a clinical examination, your doctor will arrange for an x-ray and/or computed tomography (CT) scan (or might use other technologies, such as positron emission tomography [PET] CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) to evaluate the position and extent of the cancer. Examination and observation of a biopsy will confirm a diagnosis of the NSCLC.

Treatment options for NSCLC: 

Chemotherapy: The utilization of anticancer medications in order to destroy the cancerous cells. Chemotherapy should be taken alone or with the other treatments.

Targeted therapy: newer medications that function by blocking the signals that indicate cancerous cells to develop. Gefitinib and Erlotinib are the most promising drugs for the treatment of NSCLC.

  • Gefitinib: The FDA approved Gefitinib 250 mg in May 2003 for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It was approved as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC after failure of both platinum-based and docetaxel chemotherapies. i.e. as a third-line therapy.
  • Erlotinib: The U.S. Food and FDA approved erlotinib 150 mg for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer that has failed at least one prior chemotherapy regimen.
Immunotherapy: a sort of treatment basically designed in order to boost the body’s natural defences to fight off cancer.
check- what does immunotherapy do for lung cancer patient

Radiotherapy: the utilization of measured doses of the radiation in order to damage the cancerous cells and prevent them from growing.
Combinations of different treatment types are frequently offered based on the stage and type of NSCLC and on the patient’s condition and comorbidities (additional diseases or disorders experienced at the same time).

Types of Stages: 

Cancer is ‘staged’ according to tumour size, involvement of regional lymph nodes and whether it has spread outside the lung to other parts of the body. This information is used to help decide the best treatment.

Early-stage (stage I-II) NSCLC:

  • Surgery is kind of the main treatment for the initial-stage NSCLC.
  • Chemotherapy may be given after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) in patients with Stage II and Stage III NSCLC and in some patients with Stage IB disease. 
  • Radiotherapy (either stereotactic ablative radiotherapy [SABR] or conventional radiotherapy) is an alternative to surgery in patients who are unable or unwilling to have surgery. 
  • Radiotherapy may be given after surgery (adjuvant radiotherapy) in patients with Stage II and Stage III NSCLC. 

Locally advanced (Stage III) NSCLC:

Treatment for locally advanced NSCLC is likely to involve different types of therapy (multimodal therapy). If it is possible to remove the tumour (i.e. the tumour is resectable), treatment options can include:

  • Induction therapy consisting of chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy, followed by surgery.
  • Surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.
  • Chemoradiotherapy (i.e. chemotherapy and radiotherapy given at the same time or sequentially).
  • The type of treatment and sometimes the sequence of treatments offered to patients with resectable Stage III NSCLC will depend on the general health of the patient and any comorbidities, as well as the extent and complexity of the surgery required to remove the tumour.
  • In unresectable Stage III NSCLC, chemoradiotherapy is the preferred treatment. Alternatively, chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be given sequentially (i.e. one after the other) in patients unable to tolerate concurrent treatment.
  • Immunotherapy may be offered to some patients with unresectable locally advanced NSCLC following treatment with chemoradiotherapy.

Metastatic (Stage IV) NSCLC: 

NSCLC is referred to as metastatic or Stage IV disease when it has spread beyond the lung which was initially affected.

  • It is rarely possible to remove Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with surgery or to treat it radically with radiotherapy.
  • Intravenous chemotherapy with a two-drug combination (with or without the addition of the targeted therapy called bevacizumab) is the main treatment for patients with metastatic NSCLC. 
  • The choice of drugs used will largely depend on the general health of the patient and the histological subtype of the tumour.
  • Patients whose tumours express relatively high levels of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein (determined by molecular testing using a tumour biopsy) may receive first-line immunotherapy with pembrolizumab. 
  • Patients whose tumours contain specific mutations (alterations) to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), BRAF, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) or ROS1 genes (determined by molecular testing using a tumour biopsy) are best treated with oral targeted therapies given continuously.

Subtypes of the NSCLC: The three main histological subtypes of NSCLC are:

Adenocarcinoma: Approx 40% of all the lung cancers are adenocarcinomas. These tumours start in mucus-producing cells that line the airways.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC): Approximately 25–30% of all the lung cancers are SCC. This sort of cancer develops in cells that line the airways and is usually caused by smoking.

Large cell carcinoma: This sort makes up about 10–15% of all the lung cancers. It gets its name from the way that the cancer cells look when they are observed Or examined under the microscope.

Read:- Small cell lung cancer treatment-related guidelines

Wednesday 3 June 2020

Pomalidomide: Chemotherapy Drug

All about pomalidomide

Pomalidomide is an anti-cancer drug indicated for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma after they have been treated with at least two other therapies including bortezomib and lenalidomide. Pomalidomide 4mg is generally recommended for patients with disease progression within 60 days since their last therapy.

Immunomodulatory Agent and Angiogenesis Inhibitor

Pomalidomide is a thalidomide analogue approved by FDA to be used in multiple myeloma treatment. While the mechanism of action is still not known, researchers believe that this drug works as an immune system modulator that attacks the protein within cancer cells and destroys them.

They also regulate the production of cytokines that are responsible for the growth of cancer cells.

Besides that, it also inhibits the development of blood vessels in tumor cells that they use to signal and grow.

Before using this medication

Every medication has some side effects. Consider the following points before starting with this multiple myeloma medication:

  • Tell your doctor about your medical history and what other medications you are taking.
  •  Also inform your doctor about your pre-existing health conditions.
  • This drug can cause severe birth defects. Thus, women should not take this medicine during the course of pregnancy.
  • Women of childbearing potential should use contraception 4 weeks before or after you start taking pomalidomide.
  • Avoid breastfeeding during the treatment course.
  • Male patients must also use contraceptive methods 28 days after your final dose.

Pomalidomide strengths and intermittent dosing schedule

This drug must always be taken as prescribed by your doctor. However, oral administration of pomalidomide 4 mg once daily is the recommended starting dose. This medication is taken in repeated cycles of three weeks in combination with dexamethasone.

This medicine is usually taken in an intermittent schedule in which it is given to the patient for three weeks regularly followed by a week rest. For patients with renal failure, the dose must be reduced by 25% i.e. they should take pomalidomide 3 mg once daily.

Apart from 4 mg and 3 mg, pomalidomide 2 mg, and 1mg is also available in the market.

What are the adverse reactions?

A medicine has both the good and the bad side. We have accumulated some of the common and less common side effects of using pomalidomide for multiple myeloma treatment.

If you are using some other cancer drugs, you may experience side effects that are not mentioned here.

Some of the common reactions to this medicine include:

  • Weakness and fatigue
  •  Anemia
  • Constipation
  • Low platelets
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Back pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • The less common side effects include:
  • Confusion
  • Dizziness
  • Neuropathy

If these side effects do not go after some time of starting the treatment, consult your health care provider immediately. Pomalidomide is a strong multiple myeloma medication that can also cause blood clot risks and liver problems in some patients. If you feel pain in your chest, swelling of your arms or legs, you need medical attention.

Interaction: Certain other medications may be responsible for interacting with pomalidomide. Inform your healthcare team in case you are taking any other medications as you may require extra blood tests or your dose may require in order to be changed. Check with your healthcare practitioner prior to you initiate or stop taking any other medications.

Missed Dose: If you miss a pomalidomide dose, take it promptly in case it is within 12 hours of the forgotten or missed dose. In case it is over 12 hours since your forgotten or missed pomalidomide dose, skip the forgotten or missed dose of pomalidomide and catch your usual dosing times.

How to store pomalidomide: Store the pomalidomide capsules out of the reach of children, at room temperature, away from the moisture, heat, and light.

NOTE: The piece of information mentioned about "Pomalidomide: Chemotherapy Drug" in this article is just for informational purposes and is not served as a substitute for medical treatment, consultation, diagnosis of an experienced/qualified healthcare practitioner.