What is the most important information I should know about brigatinib?
Brigatinib can cause serious side effects such as lung problems, vision problems, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, very slow heartbeats, muscle damage, or pancreatitis.
Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of any of these side effects, such as: severe headache, confusion, feeling light-headed, blurred vision, seeing flashes of light or "floaters" in your vision, increased thirst or urination, hunger, nausea, upper stomach pain spreading to your back, unexplained muscle pain or weakness, cough, trouble breathing, very slow heartbeats, or feeling like you might pass out.
What is brigatinib?
Brigatinib is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
Brigatinib is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
Brigatinib is for cancer that has a certain abnormal gene, and when treatment with other cancer medicine has not been successful.
Brigatinib may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking brigatinib?
You should not use brigatinib if you are allergic to it.
To make sure brigatinib is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- lung disease or breathing problems;
- slow heartbeats;
- high blood pressure;
- diabetes or glucose intolerance;
- pancreas problems; or
- vision problems.
Brigatinib can harm an unborn baby. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are using this medicine, whether you are a man or a woman. Men should use condoms. Brigatinib use by either parent may cause birth defects.
Use a barrier form of birth control (condom or diaphragm with spermicide). Hormonal contraception (birth control pills, injections, implants, skin patches, and vaginal rings) may not be effective enough to prevent pregnancy during your treatment.
If you are a woman, keep using birth control for at least 4 months after your last dose of brigatinib. If you are a man, keep using condoms for at least 3 months after your last dose. Tell your doctor right away if a pregnancy occurs while either the mother or the father is using brigatinib.
It is not known whether brigatinib passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.
How should I take brigatinib?
Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Brigatinib is usually taken once per day, with or without food.
Do not crush, chew, or break a brigatinib tablet. Swallow it whole.
If you vomit shortly after taking brigatinib, do not take another dose. Stay on your regular schedule.
You should not stop using brigatinib unless your doctor tells you to.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
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 brigatinib?
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with brigatinib and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit products while taking brigatinib.
This medicine may cause blurred vision and may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
What are the possible side effects of brigatinib?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
-
lung problems --cough, trouble breathing, chest pain, fever;
-
vision problems --blurred vision, double vision, increased sensitivity to light, seeing flashes of light or "floaters" in your vision;
-
high blood pressure --severe headache, pounding in your neck or ears, nosebleed;
-
high blood sugar --increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, nausea, fruity breath odor, weakness, confusion;
-
heart problems --very slow heartbeats, feeling like you might pass out;
-
muscle problems --unexplained muscle pain or weakness; or
-
pancreatitis --severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea, weight loss.
Your cancer treatments may be delayed or permanently discontinued if you have certain side effects.
Common side effects may include:
- nausea, diarrhea;
- cough;
- headache; or
- feeling tired.
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 brigatinib?
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.
Many drugs can interact with brigatinib. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. 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 brigatinib.
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: 1.01. Revision date: 6/19/2017.
