What is Alimta used for?
Alimta
is used as a treatment for:
-
malignant
pleural mesothelioma, a type of cancer that affects the inside lining
of the chest cavity. Alimta is given with cisplatin, another
anti-cancer medicine (chemotherapy).
-
non-small
cell lung cancer. Alimta is given alone after a patient has already
tried prior chemotherapy.
Alimta has not been studied in children
Who should not be treated with Alimta?
You
should not be given Alimta if you are allergic to Alimta or any of the
ingredients in Alimta.
Special Warning(s) with Alimta:
- It is very important to take folic acid
and vitamin B12 during your treatment with Alimta to lower your
chances of harmful side effects.
- Women who can become pregnant should not
become pregnant during treatment with Alimta. Alimta
may harm the unborn baby.
What should I tell my health care
provider?
Tell
your health care provider if you are:
- pregnant, are
trying to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
- taking other
medicines, including prescription and non-prescription medicines,
vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Alimta and other medicines may affect each other, causing
serious side effects. Especially tell your health care provider if you
are taking medicines called “nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs”
(NSAIDs) for pain or swelling. There are many NSAID medicines. If you
are not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist if any of your medicines
are NSAIDs.
What are some possible side effects of
Alimta? (This
list is NOT a complete list of side effects reported with Alimta.
Your health care provider can discuss with you a more complete list
of side effects.)
Call
your doctor right away if you have a fever, chills, diarrhea, or mouth
sores. These symptoms could mean you
have an infection.
Some
common side effects with Alimta when used with cisplatin include:
- Stomach upset, including nausea,
vomiting, and diarrhea
- Low blood cell counts:
-
Low red blood cells (which may make you feel tired, get tired
easily, appear pale, and become short of breath)
-
Low
white blood cells (which may give you a greater chance for
infection)
-
Low
platelets (which may give you a greater chance for bleeding)
- Tiredness
- Mouth, throat, or lip sores (stomatitis,
pharyngitis)
- Loss of appetite
- Rash
For more detailed information about
Alimta, ask your health care provider or pharmacist.
Alimta's
approved label and patient information
|