YERVOY (yur-voi) (Ipilimumab)
- January 3, 2021
- 0
What is YERVOY (Ipilimumab)?
YERVOY is a prescription medicine used to treat a kind of skin cancer called melanoma. YERVOY may be used:
- When your melanoma has spread or cannot be removed by surgery.
- To help prevent melanoma from coming back after it and lymph nodes that contain cancer have been removed by surgery.
It is not known if YERVOY is safe and effective in children less than 18 years of age.
What is the most important information I should know about YERVOY?
Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any of these signs or symptoms or they get worse. Do not try to treat symptoms yourself.
YERVOY can cause serious side effects. These serious side effects include:
- Intestinal problems (colitis) that can cause tears or holes (perforation) in the intestines. Signs and symptoms of colitis may include:
- Diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual
- Blood in your stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools
- Stomach pain (abdominal pain) or tenderness
- Liver problems (hepatitis) that can lead to liver failure. Signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include:
- Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
- Dark urine (tea colored)
- Nausea or vomiting
- Pain on the right side of your stomach
- Bleeding or bruise more easily than normal
- Skin problems that can lead to severe skin reaction. Signs and symptoms of severe skin reactions may include:
- Skin rash with or without itching
- Sores in your mouth
- Your skin blisters or peels
- Nerve problems that can lead to paralysis. Symptoms of nerve problems may include:
- Unusual weakness of legs, arms, or face
- Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
- Hormone gland problems (especially the pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands). Signs and symptoms that your glands are not working properly may include:
- Persistent or unusual headaches
- Unusual sluggishness
- Feeling cold all the time
- Weight gain
- Changes in mood or behavior such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness
- Dizziness or fainting
- Eye problems. Symptoms may include:
- Blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems
- Eye pain or redness
- The most common side effects of YERVOY include:
- Tiredness
- Diarrhea
- Itching
- Rash
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Decreased appetite
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Getting medical treatment right away may keep the problem from becoming more serious.
How should I take YERVOY?
- YERVOY is given to you into your vein through an intravenous (IV) line over 90 minutes.
- Your healthcare provider will decide how many treatments you will need.
- Your healthcare provider will do blood tests before starting and during treatment with YERVOY.
- It is important for you to keep all appointments with your healthcare provider. Call your healthcare provider if you miss an appointment. There may be special instructions for you.
Important Safety Information
- Your healthcare provider will decide how many treatments you will need.
- YERVOY can harm your unborn baby. Females who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment with YERVOY and for 3 months after the last dose of YERVOY
- Do not breastfeed during treatment with YERVOY and for 3 months after the last dose of YERVOY.
- Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
Ask your healthcare provider if you do not know.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking YERVOY?
Before you receive YERVOY, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- Have immune system problems (autoimmune disease), such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, lupus, or sarcoidosis
- Have had an organ transplant
- Have liver problems
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. YERVOY can harm your unborn baby. Females who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment with YERVOY and for 3 months after the last dose of YERVOY.
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if YERVOY passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with YERVOY and for 3 months after the last dose of YERVOY.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
General information about YERVOY
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not take for conditions for which it was not prescribed. Do not give to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.
What are the ingredients in YERVOY?
Active ingredient: Ipilimumab
Inactive ingredient: Diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), mannitol, polysorbate 80, sodium chloride, tris hydrochloride, and Water for Injection, USP
