What is the most important information I should know about trametinib?
Using trametinib with dabrafenib may increase your risk of developing a certain type of skin cancer. Ask your doctor about your specific risk. Tell your doctor if you notice any new skin symptoms.
What is trametinib?
Trametinib is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
Trametinib is used together with another medicine called dabrafenib (Tafinlar) to treat a certain type of metastatic melanoma (skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body).
Trametinib is also used with dabrafenib to treat a certain type of non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
Trametinib is used only if you have a mutation in a certain gene for which your doctor will test.
Trametinib may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking trametinib?
You should not use trametinib if you are allergic to it.
To make sure trametinib is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- heart disease;
- high blood pressure;
- lung disease;
- liver or kidney disease;
- bleeding problems, or a blood clot;
- eye problems (especially a problem with your retina); or
- if you have ever been treated with dabrafenib or vemurafenib to treat your melanoma.
Using trametinib with dabrafenib may increase your risk of developing a certain type of skin cancer. Ask your doctor about your specific risk. Tell your doctor if you notice any new skin symptoms such as redness, warts, sores that will not heal, or a mole that has changed in size or color.
Do not use trametinib if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are using this medicine and for at least 4 months after your last dose.
Trametinib can make birth control pills, patches, or injections less effective. Ask your doctor about using non hormonal birth control (condom, diaphragm with spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking trametinib.
This medication may affect fertility (your ability to have children), whether you are a man or a woman.
It is not known whether trametinib passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine, and for at least 4 months after your last dose.
How should I take trametinib?
Your doctor will perform blood tests to make sure you have the correct tumor type to be treated with trametinib.
Trametinib is usually taken once daily. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Take trametinib on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
Take the medicine at the same time each day.
Your doctor will need to check your skin on a regular basis while you are using trametinib.
Your blood pressure will need to be checked often. Your heart function may need to be checked with an electrocardiograph or ECG (sometimes called an EKG) every 2 or 3 months during your treatment. You may also need regular vision examinations while taking trametinib.
Store in the refrigerator and protect from light. Do not freeze. Keep the tablets in their original container, along with the packet or canister of moisture-absorbing preservative. Do not store trametinib tablets in a pill box.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if your next dose is less than 12 hours away. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while taking trametinib?
This medicine can pass into body fluids (urine, feces, vomit). Caregivers should wear rubber gloves while cleaning up a patient's body fluids, handling contaminated trash or laundry or changing diapers. Wash hands before and after removing gloves. Wash soiled clothing and linens separately from other laundry.
What are the possible side effects of trametinib?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Some side effects are more likely to occur if you take trametinib and dabrafenib together. Call your doctor at once if you have:
- dry cough, wheezing, feeling short of breath;
- eye pain or swelling, vision changes, seeing halos around lights, seeing color "dots" in your vision;
- severe skin rash, skin pain or swelling, redness and peeling skin on your hands or feet;
- fever, chills, feeling light-headed;
-
high blood sugar --increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor;
-
inflammation or bleeding in your stomach or intestines --fever, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea;
-
dangerously high blood pressure --severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears, dizziness;
-
signs of bleeding --weakness, dizziness, headache, bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
-
signs of a blood clot --chest pain, sudden cough or trouble breathing, pain or swelling in an arm or leg, pale skin or cold feeling in an arm or leg; or
-
signs of a heart problem --shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), pounding heartbeats, swelling in your feet or ankles.
Common side effects may include:
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite;
- fever, chills, tiredness;
- cough, shortness of breath;
- bleeding;
- swelling; or
- rash, dry skin.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect trametinib?
Other drugs may interact with trametinib, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about trametinib.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.01. Revision date: 8/11/2017.
