ZELBORAF® (Vemurafenib)
- June 1, 2021
- 0
ZELBORAF®
(ZEL-bor-raf)
(vemurafenib)
Chemotherapy
ZELBORAF®
(ZEL-bor-raf)
(vemurafenib)
Chemotherapy
What is ZELBORAF?
ZELBORAF is a prescription medicine used to treat a type of skin cancer called melanoma,
- that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery, and
- that has a certain type of abnormal “BRAF” gene. Your healthcare provider will perform a test to make sure that ZELBORAF is right for you.
- ZELBORAF is not used to treat melanoma with a normal BRAF gene.
What is the most important information I should know about ZELBORAF?
ZELBORAF can cause serious side effects. These serious side effects include:
-
Risk of cancers. ZELBORAF may cause a type of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cuSCC). New melanoma lesions have occurred in people who take ZELBORAF. ZELBORAF may also cause another type of cancer called non-cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk for these cancers.
Check your skin and tell your healthcare provider right away about any skin changes including a:
- new wart
- skin sore or reddish bump that bleeds or does not heal
- change in size or color of a mole
- Allergic reactions can happen while taking ZELBORAF and can be severe. Stop taking ZELBORAF and get medical help right away if you get any of these symptoms of an allergic reaction:
- rash or redness all over your body
- throat tightness or hoarseness
- trouble breathing or swallowing
- feel faint
- swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
- a fast heartbeat
- Severe skin reactions. Stop taking ZELBORAF and call your healthcare provider right away if you get a skin rash with any of the following symptoms because you may have a severe skin reaction:
- blisters on your skin
- fever
- blisters or sores in your mouth
- redness or swelling of your face, hands, or soles of your feet
- peeling of your skin
- Changes in the electrical activity of your heart called QT prolongation. QT prolongation can cause irregular heartbeats that can be life-threatening. Your healthcare provider should do tests before you start taking ZELBORAF and during your treatment with ZELBORAF to check the electrical activity of your heart. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you feel faint, lightheaded, dizzy, or feel your heart beating irregularly or fast while taking ZELBORAF. These may be symptoms related to QT prolongation.
- Liver injury. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your liver function before you start taking ZELBORAF and during treatment. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of these symptoms of a liver problem during treatment:
- yellowing of your skin or the white part of your eyes
- dark or brown (tea color) urine
- nausea or vomiting
- loss of appetite
- pain on the right side of your stomach
- Eye problems. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of these symptoms during treatment with ZELBORAF:
- eye pain, swelling, or redness
- blurred vision or other vision changes
- Worsening side effects from radiation treatment. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had or are planning to receive radiation therapy.
- The most common side effects of ZELBORAF include:
- joint pain
- sunburn or sun sensitivity
- rash
- nausea
- hair loss
- itching
- tiredness
- warts
How should I take ZELBORAF?
- Take ZELBORAF exactly as your healthcare provider tells you. Do not change your dose or stop taking ZELBORAF unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
- Take ZELBORAF every 12 hours with or without a meal.
- Do not crush or chew ZELBORAF tablets.
- Do not take an additional dose of ZELBORAF if you vomit after taking your scheduled dose. Take your next dose at your regular time.
- If you miss a dose of ZELBORAF, take it as soon as you remember. If it is within 4 hours of your next scheduled dose, just take your next dose at your regular time. Do not make up for the missed dose.
- If you take too much ZELBORAF, call your healthcare provider or go the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
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Important Safety Information
- Avoid sunlight while you are taking ZELBORAF. ZELBORAF can make your skin sensitive to sunlight. You may burn more easily and get severe sunburns. To help protect against sunburn:
- When you go outside, wear clothes that protect your skin, including your head, face, hands, arms, and legs.
- Use lip balm and a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher.
- Females who are able to become pregnant, and males who take ZELBORAF, should use birth control during treatment and for at least 2 months after stopping ZELBORAF.
- It is not known if ZELBORAF passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take ZELBORAF or breastfeed. You should not do both.
Ask your healthcare provider if you do not know.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ZELBORAF ?
Before you take ZELBORAF, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- have any heart problems, including a condition called long QT syndrome
- have liver or kidney problems
- have had or are planning to receive radiation therapy
- have been told that you have low blood levels of potassium, calcium, or magnesium
- have any other medical conditions
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. ZELBORAF can harm your unborn baby.
- Females who are able to become pregnant, and males who take ZELBORAF, should use birth control during treatment and for at least 2 months after stopping ZELBORAF.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about birth control methods that may be right for you.
- Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant during treatment with ZELBORAF.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if ZELBORAF passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take ZELBORAF or breastfeed. You should not do both.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
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It is not known if ZELBORAF is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age.
General information about ZELBORAF
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use ZELBORAF for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give ZELBORAF to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them.
What are the ingredients in ZELBORAF?
Active ingredient: Vmurafenib
Other ingredient: Hypromellose acetate succinate, croscarmellose sodium, colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, hydroxypropyl cellulose.
