What is the most important information I should know about olaparib?
Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with olaparib. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as: fever, weakness, feeling tired or short of breath, mouth sores, skin sores, easy bruising or bleeding, blood in your urine or stools, or weight loss.
You will need weekly or monthly blood tests, and your cancer treatments may be delayed based on the results.
Olaparib may also cause serious lung problems. Call your doctor if you have chest pain, wheezing, trouble breathing, or a new or worsening cough.
What is olaparib?
Olaparib is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
Olaparib tablets and capsules are used to treat advanced ovarian cancer in women with a certain abnormal inherited gene who have received at least 3 prior types of chemotherapy.
Olaparib tablets are also used to help maintain your body's response to prior chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or peritoneal cancer when the cancer has come back.
Olaparib tablets are also used to treat HER2-negative breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body before or after prior chemotherapy or hormonal treatment.
Olaparib may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking olaparib?
You should not use olaparib if you are allergic to it.
To make sure olaparib is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- liver or kidney disease;
- lung disease, breathing problems; or
- bone marrow problems or other types of cancer.
Olaparaib can harm an unborn baby. You may need to have a negative pregnancy test before starting this treatment. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy, whether you are a man or a woman. The use of this medicine by either parent may cause birth defects.
If you are a woman, keep using birth control for at least 6 months after your last dose of olaparib. If you are a man, keep using birth control for at least 3 months after your last dose. Also do not to donate sperm during the 3 months after your last dose.
Tell your doctor right away if a pregnancy occurs while either the mother or the father is using this medicine.
It is not safe to breast-feed a baby while you are taking olaparib. Also do not breast-feed for at least 1 month after your last dose.
How should I take olaparib?
Your doctor will perform a blood test to make sure olaparib is the right treatment for your condition.
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
You may take olaparib with or without food.
Do not crush, chew, dissolve, or break an olaparib capsule or tablet. Swallow the pill whole.
If your doctor changes your brand, strength, or type of olaparib, your dosage needs may change. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about the olaparib pills you receive at the pharmacy.
Olaparib capsules must not be used as a substitute for olaparib tablets. These two pill forms are not taken in the same dosage amounts.
Olaparib can lower blood cells that help your body fight infections and help your blood to clot. You will need weekly or monthly blood tests. You may also need chest x-rays to be sure this medicine is not causing harmful effects on your lungs. Your cancer treatments may be delayed based on the results of these tests.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Do not use any olaparib capsule that has been exposed to high heat (higher than 104 degrees F).
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. 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 olaparib?
Grapefruit, grapefruit juice, and Seville oranges may interact with olaparib and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit products while taking olaparib.
What are the possible side effects of olaparib?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with olaparib. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as:
- fever, chills, flu symptoms;
- sudden weakness or tired feeling;
- painful mouth sores, red or swollen gums;
- skin sores, red spots on the skin;
- pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding;
- blood in your urine or stools; or
- weight loss.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- wheezing, shortness of breath, new or worsening cough;
- chest pain; or
- severe or ongoing nausea or vomiting.
Common side effects may include:
- low blood cell counts;
- cold of flu symptoms (stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat);
- feeling weak or tired;
- heartburn, indigestion, loss of appetite;
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation;
- headache, back pain, muscle or joint pain;
- blisters or ulcers in your mouth, altered sense of taste;
- rash; or
- abnormal kidney function tests.
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 olaparib?
Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.
Other drugs may interact with olaparib, 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 olaparib.
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: 1/24/2018.
