What is the most important information I should know about fulvestrant?
You should not receive fulvestrant if you are pregnant.
Avoid getting pregnant or breastfeeding a baby for at least 1 year after you stop using this medicine.
What is fulvestrant?
Fulvestrant is used in postmenopausal women with hormone-related breast cancer that is advanced or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).
Fulvestrant is used alone or in combination with another medicine called ribociclib (Kisqali) to treat HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer in:
- women with no prior treatment; or
- women whose cancer has progressed after treatment with anti-estrogen medication.
Fulvestrant is used in combination with palbociclib (Ibrance) or abemaciclib (Verzenio) when the cancer has progressed after treatment with anti-estrogen medication.
Fulvestrant may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before I receive fulvestrant?
You should not be treated with fulvestrant if you are allergic to it, or if you are pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- liver disease;
- bleeding problems; or
- thrombocytopenia (a low level of platelets in the blood).
You may need to have a negative pregnancy test 7 days before starting this treatment.
Fulvestrant may harm an unborn baby. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while using this medicine and for at least 1 year after your last dose. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during this time.
This medicine may affect fertility (ability to have children) in both men and women. However, it is important for women to use birth control to prevent pregnancy because fulvestrant can harm an unborn baby.
Do not breastfeed while using this medicine, and for at least 1 year after your last dose.
How is fulvestrant given?
Fulvestrant is given as two injections into a muscle of your buttock. A healthcare professional will give you this injection.
Each injection must be given slowly, and can take up to 2 minutes to complete.
Fulvestrant is usually given once every 2 weeks at first, and then once a month.
When treatment also includes taking abemaciclib or palbociclib, these medicines are taken by mouth and have daily dosing schedules. Also, palbociclib is taken with food while abemaciclib may be taken with or without food. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.
Use all medications as directed and read all medication guides you receive. Do not change your dose or dosing schedule without your doctor's advice.
If you are a woman using fulvestrant with abemaciclib or palbociclib, tell your doctor if you are still going through menopause (you have symptoms such as irregular menstrual periods, hot flashes, night sweats, or vaginal dryness). You may need to be treated with an additional hormone medication.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your fulvestrant injection.
What happens if I overdose?
Since this medication is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.
What should I avoid while receiving fulvestrant?
This medicine can pass into body fluids (urine, feces, vomit). For at least 48 hours after you receive a dose, avoid allowing your body fluids to come into contact with your hands or other surfaces. 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 fulvestrant?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
-
signs of nerve damage --numbness, tingling, weakness, or burning pain in your buttocks, back, or leg.
Common side effects may include:
- pain where the medicine was injected;
- headache;
- pain in your arms, legs, feet, or back;
- bone pain, joint pain, muscle pain;
- nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite;
- diarrhea, constipation;
- weakness, feeling tired;
- cough, feeling short of breath;
- hot flashes; or
- abnormal liver function tests.
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 fulvestrant?
Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:
-
a blood thinner --warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven.
This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect fulvestrant, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.
Where can I get more information?
Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about fulvestrant.
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.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2020 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 10.01. Revision date: 4/16/2019.
