Docetaxel 20 mg/ml concentrate for solution for infusion

docetaxel

The name of this medicine is Docetaxel. Its common name is docetaxel. Docetaxel is a substance derived from the needles of yew trees.

Docetaxel belongs to the group of anti-cancer medicines called taxoids.

Docetaxel has been prescribed by your doctor for the treatment of breast cancer, special forms of lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer), prostate cancer, gastric cancer or head and neck cancer:

• For the treatment of advanced breast cancer, Docetaxel could be administered either alone or in combination with doxorubicin, or trastuzumab, or capecitabine.
• For the treatment of early breast cancer with or without lymph node involvement, Docetaxel could be administered in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide.
• For the treatment of lung cancer, Docetaxel could be administered either alone or in combination with cisplatin.
• For the treatment of prostate cancer, Docetaxel is administered in combination with prednisone or prednisolone.
• For the treatment of metastatic gastric cancer, Docetaxel is administered in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil.
• For the treatment of head and neck cancer, Docetaxel is administered in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil.

Docetaxel will be administered to you by a healthcare professional.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, or hospital pharmacist.

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Your doctor will discuss these with you and will explain the potential risks and benefits of your treatment.

The most commonly reported adverse reactions of Docetaxel alone are: decrease in the number of red blood cells or white blood cells, alopecia, nausea, vomiting, sores in the mouth, diarrhoea and tiredness.

The severity of adverse events of Docetaxel may be increased when Docetaxel is given in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents.

During the infusion at the hospital the following allergic reactions may occur (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

• flushing, skin reactions, itching
• chest tightness; difficulty in breathing
• fever or chills
• back pain
• low blood pressure.

More severe reactions may occur.

If you had an allergic reaction to paclitaxel, you may also experience an allergic reaction to docetaxel, which may be more severe.

The hospital staff will monitor your condition closely during treatment. Tell them immediately if you notice any of these effects.

Between infusions of Docetaxel the following may occur, and the frequency may vary with the combinations of medicines that are received:

Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

• infections, decrease in the number of red (anaemia), or white blood cells (which are important in fighting infection) and platelets
• fever: if this happens you must tell your doctor immediately
• allergic reactions as described above
• loss of appetite (anorexia)
• insomnia
• feeling of numbness or pins and needles or pain in the joints or muscles
• headache
• alteration in sense of taste
• inflammation of the eye or increased tearing of the eyes
• swelling caused by faulty lymphatic drainage
• shortness of breath
• nasal drainage; inflammation of the throat and nose; cough
• bleeding from the nose
• sores in the mouth
• stomach upsets including nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, constipation
• abdominal pain
• indigestion
• hair loss: in most cases normal hair growth should return. In some cases (frequency not known) permanent hair loss has been observed
• redness and swelling of the palms of your hands or soles of your feet which may cause your skin to peel (this may also occur on the arms, face, or body)
• change in the colour of your nails, which may detach
• muscle aches and pains; back pain or bone pain
• change or absence of menstrual period
• swelling of the hands, feet, legs
• tiredness; or flu-like symptoms
• weight gain or loss.
• infection of the upper respiratory tract.

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

• oral candidiasis
• dehydration
• dizziness
• hearing impaired
• decrease in blood pressure; irregular or rapid heart beat
• heart failure
• oesophagitis
• dry mouth
• difficulty or painful swallowing
• haemorrhage
• raised liver enzymes (hence the need for regular blood tests)
• rises in blood sugar levels (diabetes)
• decrease of the potassium, calcium and/or phosphate in your blood.

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

• fainting
• at the injection site, skin reactions, phlebitis (inflammation of the vein) or swelling
• blood clots
• acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome (types of blood cancer) may occur in patients who are treated with docetaxel together with certain other anticancer treatments.

Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):

• inflammation of the colon, small intestine, which could be fatal (frequency not known); intestinal perforation.

Frequency not known (cannot be estimated from the available data):

• interstitial lung disease (inflammation of the lungs causing coughing and difficulty breathing; inflammation of the lungs can also develop when docetaxel therapy is used with radiotherapy)
• pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
• pulmonary fibrosis (scarring and thickening in the lungs with shortness of breath)
• blurred vision due to swelling of the retina within the eye (cystoid macular oedema)
• decrease of the sodium and/or magnesium in your blood (electrolyte balance disorders).
• ventricular arrhythmia or ventricular tachycardia (manifested as irregular and/or rapid heartbeat, severe shortness of breath, dizziness, and/or fainting). Some of these symptoms can be serious. If this happens, you must tell your doctor immediately.
• injection site reactions at the site of a previous reaction
• non-Hodgkin lymphoma (a cancer affecting the immune system) and other cancers may occur in patients who are treated with docetaxel together with certain other anticancer treatments.
• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) (blistering, peeling or bleeding on any part of your skin (including your lips, eyes, mouth, nose, genitals, hands or feet) with or without a rash. You may also have flu-like symptoms at the same time, such as fever, chills or aching muscles.)
• acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) (red, scaly widespread rash with bumps under the swollen skin (including your skin folds, trunk, and upper extremities) and blisters accompanied by fever.)
• tumour lysis syndrome is a serious condition revealed by changes in blood test such as increased level of uric acid, potassium, phosphorus and decreased level of calcium; and results in symptoms such as seizures, kidney failure (reduced amount or darkening of urine) and heart rhythm disturbance. If this happens, you must tell your doctor immediately.
• myositis (inflammation of the muscles -hot, red and swollen-which produces muscle pain and weakness)

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on outer carton and on the label of the vial after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

Do not store above 25°C.

Store in the original package in order to protect from light.

Use the vial immediately after its opening. If not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions are the responsibility of the user.

From a microbiological point of view, reconstitution/dilution must take place in controlled and aseptic conditions.

Use immediately the medicine once added into the infusion bag. If not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions are the responsibility of the user and would normally not be longer than 8 hours in infusion bottle or 6 hours in infusion bag below 25°C including the one hour infusion.

Physical and chemical in-use stability of the infusion solution prepared as recommended has been demonstrated in non-PVC bags up to 48 hours when stored between 2 to 8°C.

Docetaxel infusion solution is supersaturated, therefore may crystallize over time. If crystals appear, the solution must no longer be used and shall be discarded.

Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.