Jevtana® (Cabazitaxel)
Information in this fact sheet is meant to assist you in making decisions about your treatment. Always make medication decisions in consultation with your healthcare team.
What is Jevtana® used for?
Jetvana® is a chemotherapy used to treat patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer previously treated with a regimen containing docetaxel®.
Jevtana® belongs to a group of medicines called 'taxanes' used to treat cancers. Jevtana® is used to treat prostate cancer that has progressed after having had other chemotherapy. It works by stopping cells from growing and multiplying.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why it has been prescribed for you.
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription and only can be given by a doctor or a nurse.
There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.
What does Jevtana® look like?
Cabazitaxel is a clear, slightly yellow fluid.
How is Jevtana® given?
Jevtana® will be given by infusion into one of your veins (intravenous use). The infusion will last approximately one hour during which you will be in the hospital.
What are the common side effects?
Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice any of the following:
Very common side effects (affects MORE than 1 in 10 patients):
- feeling tired, weak or having a lack of energy
- symptoms of anaemia including tiredness and an inability to perform daily tasks (due to a decrease in the number of red blood cells)
- increased bleeding (due to a decrease in the number of platelets)
- loss of appetite (anorexia)
- alteration in sense of taste
- shortness of breath
- constipation
- cough
- stomach upsets including nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, constipation
- short term hair loss (in most cases normal hair growth should return after treatment has stopped)
- back pain
- joint pain
- blood in the urine.
Common side effects (affects LESS than 1 in 10 patients):
- urinary tract infection
- fever and infection (associated with a reduction of white blood cells)
- feeling of numbness, tingling, burning or decreased sensations in hands and feet
- dizziness
- headache
- decrease or increase in blood pressure
- uncomfortable feeling in the stomach or belching after eating
- gastro-oesophageal reflux or heartburn
- stomach pain
- haemorrhoids
- muscle spasm
- pain when passing urine
- urinary incontinence
- sores in the mouth or on the lips
- high blood sugar
- low blood potassium
- rapid or irregular heartbeat
- kidney disease or problems
- ringing in the ear
- trouble with balance
- blood clot in the leg
- pain in mouth or throat
- rectal bleeding
- redness of skin
- skin infections
- skin feeling hot or flushed
- muscle discomfort, aches or pain
- swelling of the feet or legs
- lung infection
- chills.
Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients.
Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have if you experience any side effects.
What are the less common side effects?
Jevtana® helps most people with prostate cancer, but it may have unwanted side effects in some people.
All medicines have some unwanted side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. Your doctor or pharmacist has weighed the risks of using this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given Jevtana®.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
If any of the following happen while you are being given Jevtana® in the hospital/clinic, Jevtana® should be stopped immediately. Tell your doctor or nurse immediately. If you are outside of the hospital/clinic, call an ambulance or go to an Emergency Department at your nearest hospital:
- swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat, which may cause
- difficulty in swallowing or breathing
- hives
- fainting
- yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
These are rare but very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious allergic reaction to Jevtana®. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
See a doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects:
- Fever (high temperature) – This is very common (affects more than 1 in 10 patients).
- Severe loss of body fluids (dehydration) – This is common (affects less than 1 in 10 patients). This can occur if you have severe diarrhoea (increase of more than 4 or more stools more than usual a day) or long-lasting diarrhoea, or fever, or if you are vomiting.
References
Macmillan 2012, Cabazitaxel, Macmillan Cancer Support 1st August 2012, viewed 2nd July 2013.
Disclaimer
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia develops materials based on best available evidence and takes advice from recognised experts in the field in developing such resource; however it cannot guarantee and assumes no legal responsibility for the currency or completeness of the information.
