Information specific to: Afinitor 10mg tablets when used in Kidney cancers.
Afinitor (aff-in-it-orr) is a medicine which is used in Wilms' tumour, renal cell carcinoma and kidney carcinoma. Afinitor contains everolimus. It is supplied by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd.
The information in this Medicine Guide for Afinitor varies according to the condition being treated and the particular preparation used.
Your medicine
Afinitor is used to treat a type of kidneycancer called renalcellcarcinoma. It is used when other treatments have not been effective.
Afinitor works by reducing blood flow to the cancer. The reduced supply of blood slows down the growth of the cancer.
As well as affecting cancer cells in the body, Afinitor also affects healthy cells. Treatment with Afinitor may affect your immune system, lungs, blood sugar, and bloodcholesterol level. Your medical team will tell you about any symptoms you should look out for and may arrange for you to have tests to monitor these effects.
Your medical team will discuss with you the options for treating your cancer. They will take into account factors such as the type of cancer, where it is, which stage it is at and whether you have had treatment before. The results of blood tests and other investigations will also be considered. How well you feel and how you are likely to cope with treatment is also important.
Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.
The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often you should take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.
If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.
Whether this medicine is suitable for you
Afinitor is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.
Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:
- are allergic or sensitive to or have had a bad reaction to other rapamycin derivatives in the past
- are allergic or sensitive to or have had a reaction to any of the ingredients in the medicine
- have an infection
- have galactose intolerance
- have glucose-galactose malabsorption problems
- have Lapp lactase deficiency
- have liver problems
- have recently had a vaccination or are having a vaccination soon
- have recently had surgery or are having surgery soon
- have risk factors for developing kidney problems
Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for someone under the age of 18 years.
As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:
- to determine whether or not the medicine is suitable and whether it must be prescribed with extra care
- to check that this medicine is having the desired effect
- to check that this medicine is not having any undesired effects
Over time it is possible that Afinitor can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Afinitor has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.
Alcohol
Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.
In the case of Afinitor:
- there are no known interactions between alcohol and Afinitor
Diet
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.
In the case of Afinitor:
- this medicineinteracts with grapefruit juice. It also interacts with other foods that affect p-glycoprotein or enzymes that metaboliseAfinitor. For more information about which foods interact with Afinitor, speak to your prescriber, or nutritionist
For more advice speak to your prescriber, nutritionist or pharmacist.
Driving and operating machinery
When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.
In the case of Afinitor:
- this medicine could affect your ability to drive or operate machinery
You should see how this medicine affects you before you judge whether you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt about whether you should drive or operate machinery, talk to your prescriber.
Family planning and pregnancy
Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.
In the case of Afinitor:
- the use of this medicine during pregnancy is not recommended
- if you could become pregnant, you must use effective contraception or abstain from penetrative sex while taking Afinitor
- this medicine may decrease male fertility
This medicine is not suitable during pregnancy. It is very important that you seek urgent medical advice if you become pregnant or think you have become pregnant while taking this medicine.
If you are planning to become pregnant, you should discuss your personal circumstances with your doctor so that together you can make a decision about what treatment you may need during your pregnancy.
Breast-feeding
Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.
In the case of Afinitor:
- women who are taking Afinitor should not breast-feed
Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. If you wish to breast-feed you should discuss with your prescriber whether there are any other medicines you could take which would also allow you to breast-feed. You should not stop this medicine without taking advice from your doctor.
Taking other medicines
If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.
The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.
Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.
The following medicines may interact with Afinitor:
- amprenavir
- atazanavir
- BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin)
- carbamazepine
- ciclosporin
- clarithromycin
- darunavir
- dexamethasone
- diltiazem
- efavirenz
- erythromycin
- fluconazole
- fosamprenavir
- indinavir
- itraconazole
- ketoconazole
- live nasal influenzavaccine
- measles/mumps/rubella vaccine
- nefazodone
- nelfinavir
- nevirapine
- oral poliomyelitis vaccine
- phenobarbital
- phenytoin
- posaconazole
- prednisolone
- prednisone
- rifampicin
- ritonavir
- saquinavir
- telithromycin
- typhoidvaccine
- varicella vaccine
- verapamil
- voriconazole
- yellow fevervaccine
The following types of medicine may interact with Afinitor:
- corticosteroids
- cytochrome P450 enzyme inducers
- cytochrome P450 enzyme inhibitors
- live vaccines
- medicines that are metabolised by the cytochrome P450 system
- medicines that are transported by p-glycoprotein
- p-glycoprotein inducers
- p-glycoprotein inhibitors
If you are taking Afinitor and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.
Complementary preparations and vitamins
Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins.
Make sure you tell your prescriber the names of all the complementary preparations and vitamins that you are taking or are planning to take.
Your prescriber can then decide whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact.
In the case of Afinitor:
- this medicineinteracts with St. John's Wort
If you have been prescribed Afinitor you should only take something on the above list on the specific advice of your prescriber or pharmacist.
