Pazopanib may cause severe or life-threatening liver damage. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: yellowing of the skin or eyes; dark urine; extreme tiredness; nausea; vomiting; loss of appetite; pain in the upper right part of the stomach; or unusual bleeding or bruising.
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests before you start taking pazopanib and at least once a month for the first 4 months of your treatment and then on a regular basis as needed.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with pazopanib and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking pazopanib.
The Basics
Pazopanib (brand name- Votrient) is an FDA-approved treatment for kidney cancer in adults. It is also used to treat soft tissue sarcoma (a tumour – that can develop in or around muscles, tendons, joints, organs, or blood vessels) and is usually given after other treatments have failed.
Pazopanib (Votrient) is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. It works by slowing or stopping the spread of cancer cells.
let us walk you through the key things you need to know about pazopanib.
How should I take pazopanib (Votrient)?
Pazopanib (Votrient) comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken on an empty stomach once a day, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Take pazopanib at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Take pazopanib exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or more often than your doctor prescribes.
Swallow the tablets whole; do not split, chew, or crush them.
Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment. Continue to take pazopanib (Votrient) even if you feel well. Do not stop taking pazopanib without talking to your doctor. You can help them by tracking your side effects in Ankr.
What are the side effects of pazopanib or Votrient?
Common side effects
- Diarrhea (Loose stools)
- Constipation
- Heartburn (GERD/Acid Reflux)
- Abnormal taste (Dysgeusia)
- Joint Pain (Arthralgia)
- Swelling of the face
- Tender, red palms of the hands and soles of the feet
- Pain in the arms, back, neck or jaw
- Hair Loss (Alopecia)
- Thin, brittle fingernails or hair
- Change in hair color
- Lightening of an area of the skin
- Rash
- Weaknes
- Unusual discomfort in cold temperatures
- Abnormal weight loss
- Weakness or numbness of an arm or leg
- Wounds that do not heal
- Stomach pain or swelling
Serious side effects
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Chest Pain
- Shortness of breath (Dyspnea)
- Headache
- Slow or difficult speech
- Dizziness (Vertigo)
- Faintness
- Depression
- Black and tarry stools
- Red blood in stools
- Bloody vomit
- Vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- Blood in urine
- Nosebleeds
- Coughing up blood
Pazopanib may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
Use the free Ankr platform or Ankr app to track your symptoms.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking pazopanib or Votrient
- tell your doctor about your allergies
- tell your doctor about other intakes
- tell your doctor about any other disease, symptom, or treatment in past or now
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
While you are on pazopanib or Votrient
- you should not become pregnant while you are taking pazopanib. If you become pregnant while taking pazopanib, call your doctor. Pazopanib may harm the fetus.
- you should not breastfeed during your treatment.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking pazopanib.
I forgot a dose. What should I do?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is within 12 hours of your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
In case of an emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
How should I safely store and dispose of pazopanib or Votrient?
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).
To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org
The best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you cannot access a take-back program.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking this medication.
Brand names
- Votrient®
Last Revised – 03/08/2023, FDA-updated- 04/26/2012, SG
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