Oxaliplatin, Injection

________________________________________________________________________

KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by IV to treat certain types of cancer.
• You may get infections or bleed more easily when you are taking this medicine.
• Keep all appointments for tests to see how this medicine affects you.
• This medicine may cause severe, life-threatening allergic reactions or other unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

________________________________________________________________________

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antineoplastic (anticancer)

Generic and brand names: oxaliplatin, injection; Eloxatin

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by IV infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein) to treat advanced colorectal (bowel and rectal) cancer. It may also be used for other types of cancers and tumors. It is often used with other cancer medicines.

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine
• Bleeding or bone marrow problems
• Kidney disease or damage
• Liver disease
• Long QT syndrome (problems with electrical activity in the heart muscle)
• Peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, pain, or burning feelings in your feet or hands)

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. This medicine is usually not given during pregnancy because it can harm the baby. Do not become pregnant while you are receiving this medicine. Talk to your healthcare provider if you need birth control. If you do become pregnant while receiving this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not breast-feed during this treatment.

How do I use it?

You will receive the IV infusions every 2 or 3 weeks. The infusions are given over a 2 to 6-hour period. Keep all appointments for the infusions.

If this medicine leaks (from the needle) onto your skin or you have pain during the infusion, tell your provider right away. This medicine can cause severe pain and inflammation if it gets on your skin.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may cause severe, life-threatening allergic reactions. You will be monitored closely while receiving this medicine. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any trouble breathing or swallowing, feel as if your throat is closing, swelling of the lips or tongue, chest pain, rash, hives, itching, dizziness, or flushing.

You will need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects your blood and bone marrow. Keep all appointments for these tests.

You may get infections more easily when you are taking this medicine. Stay away from people with colds, flu, or other infections. Do not have any vaccines without getting your healthcare provider's approval first. If you develop a fever, severe fatigue, or unusual bruising or bleeding, contact your healthcare provider right away.

If you develop numbness, tingling, burning, or pain in your hands or feet, contact your healthcare provider right away. These may be signs of nerve damage. Exposure to cold may trigger these symptoms. Avoid cold drinks or frozen foods, ice chips or ice cubes. Cover exposed skin before exposure to cold temperature or cold or frozen objects. Adults over the age of 65 may be at greater risk for this side effect. Your healthcare provider may reduce your dosage or discontinue treatment.

While you are taking this medicine, report any unusual or ongoing muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness to your healthcare provider right away, especially if you also have a fever or unusual tiredness. Also, contact your healthcare provider right away if these symptoms do not go away even after you stop taking this medicine.

This medicine may increase your risk of bruising or bleeding. Use a soft brush to brush your teeth. Be careful while shaving, cutting fingernails or toenails, or when using sharp objects. Avoid sports and activities that may cause injuries.

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects after infusions of this medicine. If they continue or become severe, ask your healthcare provider about medicine to help relieve these side effects.

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy, or cause vision problems. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert and can see clearly.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Numbness, tingling, or burning in your hands, feet, or around your mouth or throat; increased sensitivity to cold; trouble breathing or swallowing; speech problems; jaw tightness; fever or chills; unusual tiredness or weakness; unusual bruising or bleeding; black or tarry bowel movements; chest pain; severe muscle cramps; blood in the urine; burning or pain on urination; trouble urinating or decreased urine output; persistent sore throat; dry cough; yellowing of your skin or eyes; dark urine; vision changes; severe dizziness; unexplained swelling in hands or feet; severe nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Other: Stomach pain; diarrhea; constipation; hair loss; headache; trouble sleeping; nausea; vomiting; loss of appetite; change in sense of taste, redness, swelling, or pain where you had the infusion; mouth sores; back pain; muscle pain or spasms.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Amphotericin b (Abelcet, AmBisome, Amphotec)
• Antibiotics such as amikacin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), gentamicin, kanamycin, levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), neomycin (Neo-Fradin), paromomycin, streptomycin, telithromycin (Ketek), tobramycin, and vancomycin (Vancocin)
• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline, citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), sertraline (Zoloft), and trazodone
• Antipsychotic medicines such as asenapine (Saphris), chlorpromazine, clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo), haloperidol (Haldol), iloperidone (Fanapt), paliperidone (Invega), pimozide (Orap), quetiapine (Seroquel), thioridazine, and ziprasidone (Geodon)
• Antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), gabapentin (Neurontin), lamotrigine (Lamictal), levetiracetam (Keppra), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), primidone (Mysoline), and valproic acid (Depacon, Depakene, Depakote)
• Artemether/lumefantrine (Coartem)
• Aspirin and other salicylates
• Cancer medicine such as arsenic trioxide (Trisenox), crizotinib (Xalkori), nilotinib (Tasigna), toremifene (Fareston), vandetanib (Caprelsa), and vemurafenib (Zelboraf)
• Clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo)
• Dextromethorphan/quinidine (Nuedexta)
• Diuretics (water pills) such as amiloride, bumetanide, chlorothiazide (Diuril), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), spironolactone (Aldactone), torsemide (Demadex), and triamterene (Dyrenium)
• Heart medicines such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn), dronedarone (Multaq), flecainide, procainamide, propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine, and sotalol (Betapace, Sorine)
• Immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), leflunomide (Arava), natalizumab (Tysabri), tacrolimus (Astagraf, Prograf, Protopic), and tofacitinib (Xeljanz)
• Live vaccines
• Medicines to raise white blood cell counts such as filgrastim (Neupogen), pegfilgrastim (Neulasta), and sargramostim (Leukine)
• Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)
• Mifepristone (Korlym, Mifeprex)
• Natural remedies such as black cohosh, dong quai, and echinacea
• Nausea medicines such as dolasetron (Anzemet) and ondansetron (Zofran)
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac (Cambia, Voltaren, Zipsor), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen, ketorolac, nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), and sulindac (Clinoril)
• Quinine
• Warfarin (Coumadin)

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

---

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.