aldesleukin
Other Name: Proleukin®
mixed into larger bags of fluids
- For treating melanoma
- Tell your doctor if you have/had significant medical condition(s), especially if you have / had lung disease, heart disease, immune system problems, psoriasis, underactive thyroid, kidney disease or liver disease, infection, transplant, psychiatric problems or seizures (or a history of seizures), chickenpox (or have recently been exposed to someone who has had chickenpox), shingles or have any allergies.
- Patients who have cancer are at a higher risk of developing blood clots. Some cancer drug treatments may increase this risk. Discuss this with your doctor.
- Aldesleukin may harm the unborn baby. Do not use this drug if you are pregnant. If there is ANY chance that you or your partner may become pregnant, you and your partner together must:► Use 2 effective forms of birth control at the same time while taking this drug: Keep using birth control until 6 months after the last dose (general recommendation). Discuss with your healthcare team.
- Tell your doctor right away if you or your partner becomes pregnant.
- Do not breastfeed while taking this drug.
- Effects on Fertility: Unknown
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This drug is given by injection into a vein.
- You will be given drug(s) before aldesleukin to prevent a reaction.
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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.
- The following side effects have been seen in people using aldesleukin with other chemotherapy drugs, so some of these effects may also be related to chemotherapy.
- The following side effects are common or severe. You may not have all of the side effects. Other side effects may occur. If you have any unusual or bothersome symptoms, discuss with your doctor.
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Leakage of fluid from small blood vessels (may be severe),
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Get emergency medical help right away | ||||
Diarrhea
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Nausea and vomiting
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Cough, shortness of breath |
Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Rash; dry, itchy skin (may be severe)
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Abnormal liver lab tests (may be severe)
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Unusual bleeding or bruising You may have black stools, cough up blood, blood in your urine, purple or red dots on your skin or bleeding that will not stop. Fever, chills, infection You have a fever if your temperature taken in your mouth (oral temperature) is:
While you are getting chemotherapy treatments:
If you have a fever, talk to your health care team or go to the closest emergency room. |
Get emergency medical help right away | ||||
Effects on the brain |
Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Abnormal kidney lab tests
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Tiredness
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Mouth sores
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Contact your health care team as soon as possible | ||||
Poor Appetite; don't feel like eating; weight loss
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||
Irregular heartbeat |
Get emergency medical help right away |
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Lung problems |
Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Heart problems |
Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Bleeding/clotting disorder |
Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Blockage of an artery (blood vessel) in your heart, brain, chest, belly, or limbs; this may result in stroke (sudden loss of vision, speech, or the use of your limb(s)) or heart attack (chest pain, shortness of breath), or pain in chest, belly or limb | Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Allergic reaction (fever, severe rash, itchiness, swollen face, lip or tongue, chest or throat tightness; may occur during or shortly after the drug is given)
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Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Rupture in stomach or intestine wall (sudden, severe pain in belly or stomach area) Blocked intestines (severe belly pain, bloating, severe constipation) |
Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Tingling, numb fingers and toes
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Contact your health care team if no improvement or if severe | ||||||
Pancreas problems |
Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Rapid killing of cancer cells when you start treatment may lead to build up of cell waste products
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Get emergency medical help right away | ||||||
Inflammation of blood vessels in the skin (red or purple patches on the skin, rash/patches that do not turn white when pressed) or in the brain (rare) |
Contact your health care team as soon as possible | ||||||
Blood clot (limb pain or swelling, hardened vein in limb), may occur in lungs (sudden start of coughing, breathing problems, chest pain, coughing blood) | Get emergency medical help right away |
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.