pazopanib

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Pronunciation: paz OH pa nib

Brand: Votrient

What is the most important information I should know about pazopanib?

You should not use this medicine if you have severe liver disease.

Pazopanib can cause severe or life-threatening liver problems. You will need frequent blood tests to check your liver function.

Call your doctor at once if you have: nausea, vomiting, upper stomach pain, loss of appetite, tiredness, easy bruising, dark urine, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

What is pazopanib?

Pazopanib is a cancer medicine that interferes with the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.

Pazopanib is used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

Pazopanib is also used to treat soft tissue sarcoma (a tumor that can develop in or around muscles, tendons, joints, organs, or blood vessels). Pazopanib is usually given after other cancer medications have been tried without successful treatment of soft tissue sarcoma.

Pazopanib may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking pazopanib?

You should not use pazopanib if you are allergic to it, or if you have severe liver disease.

To make sure pazopanib is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

  • liver disease;
  • heart disease, heart rhythm disorder;
  • high blood pressure;
  • a personal or family history of Long QT syndrome;
  • a history of blood clot or stroke;
  • a thyroid disorder;
  • an ulcer or other stomach disorder;
  • headaches, seizures, or vision problems;
  • a head injury or bleeding in your brain within the past 6 months;
  • stomach or intestinal bleeding within the past 6 months;
  • history of a perforation (a hole or tear) in your stomach or intestines;
  • history of a fistula (an abnormal passageway) within your stomach or intestines; or
  • if you have had surgery within the past 7 days.

Do not use pazopanib if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are using this medicine and for at least 2 weeks after your last dose.

It is not known whether pazopanib passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using pazopanib.

How should I take pazopanib?

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

Take pazopanib on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

Do not crush a pazopanib tablet. Swallow the pill whole. Crushing the pill may cause your body to absorb too much of the drug at one time.

Pazopanib can cause severe or life-threatening liver problems. While using pazopanib, you may need frequent blood or urine tests. Your liver function and blood pressure will also need to be checked often. Your heart function may need to be checked using an electrocardiograph or ECG (sometimes called an EKG).

If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using pazopanib. You may need to stop using the medicine for at least 7 days before your surgery.

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 your next dose is less than 12 hours away. 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 pazopanib?

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with pazopanib and lead to unwanted side effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit products while taking pazopanib.

Ask your doctor before using an antacid, and use only the type your doctor recommends. Do not take an antacid within several hours before or after you have taken your pazopanib dose. Avoid taking stomach acid reducers (Axid, Nexium, Pepcid, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, Tagamet, Zantac, Zegerid) while taking pazopanib.

This medicine can pass into body fluids (urine, feces, vomit). Caregivers should wear rubber gloves while cleaning up a patient's body fluids, handling contaminated trash or laundry or changing diapers. Wash hands before and after removing gloves. Wash soiled clothing and linens separately from other laundry.

What are the possible side effects of pazopanib?

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using pazopanib and call your doctor at once if you have:

  • stomach pain or swelling, bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
  • slow healing of a wound or surgical incision, or any wound that will not heal;
  • nosebleed, bleeding gums, easy bruising;
  • headache, confusion, change in mental status, vision loss, seizure (convulsions);
  • sudden chest pain or discomfort, wheezing, dry cough, feeling short of breath;
  • signs of infection --fever, sore throat, cough, flu symptoms, body aches, skin sores;
  • liver problems --nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
  • heart attack symptoms --chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
  • signs of other heart problems --feeling short of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling, rapid weight gain, headache with chest pain and severe dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeats;
  • signs of a stroke --sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance;
  • signs of a blood clot in the lung --chest pain, sudden cough, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing up blood;
  • signs of a blood clot in your leg --pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in one or both legs; or
  • dangerously high blood pressure --severe headache, blurred vision, pounding in your neck or ears, nosebleed, anxiety, confusion, severe chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeats, seizure.

Liver problems may be more likely in adults older than 65.

Common side effects may include:

  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
  • loss of appetite; or
  • changes in hair color.

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 pazopanib?

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

  • an antibiotic;
  • an antidepressant;
  • cholesterol medicine that contains simvastatin (Zocor, Vytorin, Juvisync, Simcor);
  • heart rhythm medication;
  • HIV or AIDS medications; or
  • stomach acid reducers such as Nexium, Prilosec, Tagamet, and others.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with pazopanib, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about pazopanib.

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.

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