oxaliplatin
Other Name: Eloxatin®
mixed into larger bags of fluids
- For treating certain types of cancers such as colorectal, pancreatic and stomach cancer, usually in combination with other drugs (such as 5-fluorouracil). It may also be used to treat other types of cancers.
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Tell your health care team if you have or had significant medical condition(s), especially if you have / had:
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kidney, lung or heart problems
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numbness, tingling, pain or a burning feeling in your fingers and toes, or
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any allergies, especially to platinum agents.
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Remember to:
- Tell your health care team about all of the other medications you are taking.
- Keep taking other medications that have been prescribed for you, unless you have been told not to by your health care team.
You will have a blood test to check for hepatitis B before starting treatment. See the Hepatitis B and Cancer Medications pamphlet for more information.
Talk to your health care team about:
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How this medication may affect your sexual health.
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How this medication may affect your ability to have a baby, if this applies to you.
This medication may harm an unborn baby. Tell your health care team if you or your partner are pregnant, become pregnant during treatment, or are breastfeeding.
- If there is any chance you may become pregnant, you and your partner together must use 2 effective forms of birth control at the same time until at least 9 months after your last dose. Talk to your health care team about which birth control options are best for you.
- If you are a patient that can get somebody pregnant, you and your partner together must use 2 effective forms of birth control at the same time until at least 6 months after your last dose. Talk to your health care team about which birth control options are best for you.
- Do not breastfeed while on this medication and for 3 months after your last dose.
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This drug is given through an IV (injected into a vein).
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Talk to your health care team about your treatment schedule.
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If you miss an appointment to receive your oxaliplatin, contact your health care team to find out what to do.
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You may be given this treatment along with other medications to help prevent side effects.
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This medication can interact with other medications and can result in the treatment not working as well or cause severe side effects.
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Make sure your health care team knows about all your medications (prescription, over-the-counter, herbals and supplements). Check with your health care team before starting or stopping any of them.
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For mild aches and pain or fever:
- If you feel unwell, take your temperature before taking any medications for pain or fever. They may hide a fever.
- You may take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) tablets. Ask your health care team about the right dose for you.
- Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), naproxen (Aleve®) or aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA), including low dose aspirin for heart conditions, may increase your chance of bleeding. Talk to your health care team before you start or stop these medications.
- Talk to your health care team or go to the closest emergency room right away if you have a fever. See the Fever pamphlet for more information.
- If you feel unwell, take your temperature before taking any medications for pain or fever. They may hide a fever.
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Drinking alcohol and smoking during your treatment may increase some side effects and make your medication less effective. Speak to your health care team about smoking and drinking alcohol while on treatment.
This treatment causes cold sensitivity.
- Oxaliplatin can cause an unusual side effect where different parts of your body may become very sensitive to cold. This can cause discomfort from things such as cold food, cold drinks and cool or cold temperatures.
How does the cold sensitivity feel?
You may feel:
- Numbness or tingling in your fingers and toes. Sometimes it can be painful and feel like burning, which may be severe.
- Tightness in your throat or jaw.
- Like it is hard to swallow.
- Like it is hard to breathe, or that you have pressure on your chest.
Tightness in your throat will usually go away after a few hours. If it lasts longer, or if you have trouble breathing, contact your health care team or get emergency help right away.
How can I help prevent sensitivity to cold?
- Avoid the cold as much as possible.
- If you must go outside in the cold, protect your face and mouth with a scarf or high-neck sweater, wear mittens and warm socks.
- Only eat and drink things that are room temperature or warmer. Do not drink cold drinks or put ice cubes in anything you drink. Do not eat cold foods, such as ice cream.
- Avoid direct exposure to air conditioning, such as in your car.
- Take shallow breaths when you are exposed to cold air (such as from a freezer or when you are outside in winter).
- Wear gloves if you need to touch cold objects, such as items in the freezer.
- Do not use an ice pack on any part of your body.
The following side effects have been seen in people using oxaliplatin with other chemotherapy drugs (for example, fluorouracil), some of these effects may also be related to any of these medications.
You may not have all of the side effects below. You may have side effects that are not listed.
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Neuropathy (Tingling, numb toes or fingers) (May be severe) What to look for?
What to do?
For some people, symptoms of neuropathy may continue long after treatment ends. The sensations in the throat usually go away after a few hours; if they last longer, or if you have trouble breathing, contact your doctor right away. If you continue to have bothersome symptoms, talk to your health care team for advice.
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Talk to your health care team, especially if you have trouble doing tasks like doing up buttons writing, moving, or if you have severe pain or numbness |
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Low neutrophils (white blood cells) in the blood (neutropenia) When neutrophils are low, you are at risk of getting an infection more easily. Ask your health care team for the Neutropenia (Low white blood cell count) pamphlet for more information. What to look for?
You have a fever if your temperature taken in your mouth (oral temperature) is:
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What to do? If your health care team has told you that you have low neutrophils:
If you have a fever: If you have a fever, try to contact your health care team. If you are unable to talk to the team for advice, you must get emergency medical help right away.
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If you have a fever, try to contact your health care team. If you are unable to talk to the team for advice, you MUST get emergency medical help right away |
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Low platelets in the blood When platelets are low you are at risk for bleeding and bruising. Ask your health care team for the Low Platelet Count pamphlet for more information.
What to do? If your health care team has told you that you have low platelets:
If you have signs of bleeding:
If you have bleeding that doesn’t stop or is severe (very heavy), you must get emergency medical help right away.
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Talk to your health care team if you have any signs of bleeding. If you have bleeding that doesn’t stop or is severe (very heavy), you MUST get emergency medical help right away |
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Nausea and vomiting May occur in hours to days after your treatment. If you have nausea or vomiting:
Also see Nausea & Vomiting pamphlet for more information. |
Talk to your healthcare team if nausea lasts more than 48 hours or vomiting lasts more than 24 hours | ||||
Abnormal liver lab tests
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Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe |
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Diarrhea May happen days to weeks after you get your treatment. If you have diarrhea :
See the Diarrhea pamphlet for more information. |
Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe |
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Fatigue (Tiredness) What to look for?
What to do?
Ask your health care team for the Fatigue pamphlet for more information. |
Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Mouth sores You may have round, painful, white or gray sores inside your mouth. They can occur on the tongue, lips, gums, or inside your cheeks. In more severe cases they may make it hard swallow, eat or to brush your teeth. They usually last 1 to 2 weeks. To help prevent mouth sores:
If you have mouth sores:
See the Mouth Care pamphlet for more information. |
Talk to your health care team as soon as possible | ||||
Sensation that you are not breathing properly
What to look for?
What to do?
Problems with breathing and swallowing can be unpleasant. They should only last a few minutes. If they do not go away quickly or if you also feel chest pain, speak with your health care team as soon as possible. If severe, get emergency medical help right away. |
Contact your health care team if it does not improve. Get emergency medical help if it is severe. | ||||
Hair thinning or loss What to look for?
What to do?
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Talk to your health care team if this bothers you |
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Constipation
What to do? To help prevent constipation:
To help treat constipation:
Ask your health care team for the Constipation Pamphlet for more information. |
Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Pains or cramps in the belly What to look for?
What to do? If the pain is severe, gets worse or doesn’t go away, talk to your health care team about other possible causes. |
Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Mild swelling in arms and legs; puffiness What to look for?
What to do? To help prevent swelling:
If you have swelling:
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Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Rash Rash may be severe in some rare cases and cause your skin to blister or peel. If this happens, get emergency medical help right away. To prevent and treat dry skin,
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Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
High blood sugar
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Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Mild joint, muscle pain or cramps What to look for?
What to do?
Ask your health care team for the Pain pamphlet for more information |
Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Low Appetite, weight changes What to look for?
What to do?
Ask your health care team for the loss of appetite pamphlet for more information.
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Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Taste changes What to look for?
What to do?
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Talk to your health care team if it does not improve or if it is severe | ||||
Pain, burning, redness, or swelling on skin where drug was injected Let your health care team know right away when this happens, since this drug can irritate tissues if it leaks from the vein during injection. |
Let your health care team know right away | ||||
Salt imbalances It may cause muscle twitching, severe weakness or cramping, confusion and irregular heartbeat. |
Get emergency medical help right away | ||||
Allergic reaction What to look for?
What to do?
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Get emergency medical help right away for severe symptoms |
Other rare, but serious side effects are possible.
If you experience ANY of the following, speak to your cancer health care provider or get emergency medical help right away:
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redness, irritation, pain, tearing, blurred or double vision or other unusual changes with your sight, including vision loss
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ringing in the ears or hearing loss
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weakness in the muscles of your face, drooling, slurring speech
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lower back pain, body swelling, passing little or no urine, or recent unusual weight gain
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severe belly pain, bloating, severe constipation
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irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting spells or swelling in your legs, ankles and belly.
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increasing cough, breathing problems, coughing up blood.
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black stools (poo), blood in your urine (pee) or stools (poo), or bleeding that does not stop.
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swelling and hardening of a vein in your arms or legs.
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trouble seeing, speaking, or using your arms or legs.
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easy or excessive bruising, pinpoint-sized reddish-purple spots on skin, usually on the lower legs
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pale skin and/or severe tiredness
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pain, thinning, reddening, tingling, numbness and peeling of the skin on your palms or the soles of your feet.
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yellowing of the eyes or skin or tenderness (hurts to touch) under the ribs on the right side of the body
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severe muscle pain or weakness, dark or red-brown urine
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severe headache, loss of consciousness, seizures, confusion, vision loss
Who do I contact if I have questions or need help?My cancer health care provider is: ________________________________________________ During the day I should contact:__________________________________________________ Evenings, weekends and holidays:________________________________________________
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Other Notes:
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October 2023 Updated " How will this medication affect sex, pregnancy and breastfeeding" section
For more links on how to manage your symptoms go to www.cancercareontario.ca/symptoms.
The information set out in the medication information sheets, regimen information sheets, and symptom management information (for patients) contained in the Drug Formulary (the "Formulary") is intended to be used by health professionals and patients for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or side effects of a certain drug, nor should it be used to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for a given condition.
A patient should always consult a healthcare provider if he/she has any questions regarding the information set out in the Formulary. The information in the Formulary is not intended to act as or replace medical advice and should not be relied upon in any such regard. All uses of the Formulary are subject to clinical judgment and actual prescribing patterns may not follow the information provided in the Formulary.