Paclitaxel 6 Mg/Ml Concentrate For Solution For Infusion
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PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER
Paclitaxel 6 mg/ml Concentrate for Solution for Infusion
Paclitaxel
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine.
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have further questions, please ask your doctor
• If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor
In this leaflet:
1. What Paclitaxel Injection is and what it is used for
2. Before you use Paclitaxel Injection
3. How Paclitaxel Injection is given to you
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Paclitaxel Injection
6. Further information
1. What Paclitaxel Injection is and what it is used for
The name of your medicine is 'Paclitaxel 6 mg/ml Concentrate for Solution
for Infusion' but in the rest of the leaflet it will be called “Paclitaxel Injection”.
Paclitaxel belongs to a group of anti-cancer medicines called taxanes.
These agents inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Paclitaxel Injection is used to treat:
Ovarian cancer:
• as first therapy (after initial surgery in combination with the platinum-containing medicine cisplatin).
• after standard platinum-containing medicines have been tried but did not work.
Breast cancer:
• as first therapy for advanced disease or disease which has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic disease). Paclitaxel Injection is either combined with an anthracycline (e.g. doxorubicin) or with a medicine called trastuzumab (for patients for whom anthracycline is not suitable and whose cancer cells have a protein on their surface called HER 2, see package leaflet of trastuzumab).
• after initial surgery following treatment with anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) as an additional treatment.
• as a second-line treatment for patients who have not responded to standard treatments using anthracyclines, or for whom such treatment should not be used.
Advanced non-small-cell lung cancer:
• in combination with cisplatin, when surgery and/or radiation therapy aren't suitable.
AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma:
• where another treatment (i.e. liposomal anthracyclines) has been tried but did not work.
The following information is intended for medical or healthcare
professionals only
Preparation of infusion solutions:
■ Containers and infusion sets used with Paclitaxel Injection must be DEHP-free. This will minimise patient exposure to the plasticiser DEHP [di (2 ethylhexyl)phthalate], which may leach from PVC infusion containers or sets. Use of filter devices (e.g. IVEX-2) which incorporate short inlet and/or outlet plasticised PVC tubing has not resulted in significant leaching of DEHP
■ Take care when handling Paclitaxel Injection as with all antineoplastic agents. Always wear adequate protective gloves when handling vials containing paclitaxel. Dilution should be performed under aseptic conditions by trained personnel in a designated area. In the event of contact with the skin, wash the area with soap and water. In the event of contact with the mucous membranes, flush thoroughly with water.
■ Do not use the Chemo-Dispensing Pin device or similar devices with spikes since they can cause the vial stopper to collapse, resulting in loss of sterile integrity.
Step 1: Dilute the concentrate
Before administration, the Paclitaxel Injection must be further diluted with
You should not be given Paclitaxel Injection
• if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to paclitaxel or any of the other ingredients of Paclitaxel Injection especially polyoxyethylated castor oil (macrogolglycerol ricinoleate);
• if you are breast-feeding;
• if you have too few white blood cells count (baseline neutrophil counts <1.5 x 109/l - your doctor will advise you on this) in your blood. Your doctor will take blood samples to check this.
• if you have a serious and uncontrolled infection and Paclitaxel Injection is used to treat Kaposi's sarcoma.
If any of these apply to you, talk to your doctor before starting treatment with Paclitaxel Injection.
Paclitaxel Injection is not recommended for use in children (under 18 years).
Take special care with Paclitaxel Injection
To minimize allergic reactions, you will be given other medicines before you receive Paclitaxel Injection.
• If you experience severe allergic reactions (for example difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, drop in blood pressure, dizziness, light headedness, skin reactions such as rash or swelling).
• If you have fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers (signs of bone marrow suppression).
• If you have numbness, tingling, pricking sensations, sensitivity to touch, or weakness of the arms and legs (signs of peripheral neuropathy); a dose reduction of Paclitaxel Injection may be necessary
• If you have severe liver problems; in that case the use of Paclitaxel Injection is not recommended.
• If you have heart conduction problems.
• If you develop severe or persistent diarrhoea, with fever and stomach pain, during or shortly after the treatment with Paclitaxel Injection. Your colon could be inflamed (pseudomembranous colitis).
• If you had previous radiation to your chest (because it may increase the risk of lung inflammation).
• If you have a sore or red mouth (signs of mucositis) and are treated for Kaposi's Sarcoma. You may need a lower dose.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these apply to you.
Paclitaxel Injection should always be administered into veins. Administration of Paclitaxel Injection in the arteries can cause inflammation of the arteries, and you can suffer from pain, swelling, redness and heat.
Using other medicines
Please tell your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This is because Paclitaxel Injection or the other medicine may not work as well as expected, or you may be more likely to get a side effect.
Interaction means that different medicines may influence each other. Interaction may occur and your doctor needs to know when using Paclitaxel Injection together with:
• cisplatin (to treat cancer): Paclitaxel Injection must be given before cisplatin. Your renal function may need to be checked more frequently.
• doxorubicin (to treat cancer): Paclitaxel Injection must be administered 24 hours after doxorubicin, to avoid high level of doxorubicine in your body.
• efavirenz, nevirapine, ritonavir, nelfinavir, or other protease-inhibitors, which are HIV treatments. A dose adjustment of Paclitaxel Injection may
either:
• 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection
• 5 % Dextrose Injection
• 5% Dextrose and 0.9% Sodium Chloride injection
• 5% Dextrose in Ringer's Injection
The final infusion concentration of paclitaxel must range between 0.3 mg/ml and 1.2 mg/ml.
When diluted, solutions may show haziness, which is attributed to the formulation vehicle, and is not removed by filtration. No significant losses in potency have been noted following simulated delivery of the solution through IV tubing containing an in-line filter.
Step 2: Administer the infusion
Premedicate all patients with corticosteroids, antihistamines and H2 antagonists prior to administration.
Do not readminister Paclitaxel Injection until the neutrophil count is > 1,500/mm3 (> 1,000/mm3 for Kaposi's sarcoma patients) and the platelet count is > 100,000/miT|3 (> 75,000/mm3 for Kaposi's sarcoma patients).
Avoid precipitation of the infusion solution:
be necessary.
• erythromycin, an antibiotic, fluoxetine, an antidepressant or gemfibrozil, used for lowering cholesterol. A dose reduction of Paclitaxel Injection may be necessary.
• rifampicin, an antibiotic used for tuberculosis. A dose increase of Paclitaxel Injection may be necessary.
• carbamazepine, phenytoin or phenobarbital, used for epilepsy.
Using Paclitaxel Injection with food and drink
Paclitaxel Injection is unaffected by food and drink.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant before receiving treatment with Paclitaxel Injection. If there is a chance that you could become pregnant, use an effective and safe method of
contraception during treatment. Paclitaxel Injection should not be used during pregnancy unless clearly necessary. Female and male patients of fertile age, and/or their partners should use contraceptions for at least 6 months after treatment with paclitaxel. Male patients should seek advice regarding cryoconservation of sperm prior to treatment with paclitaxel because of the possibility of irreversible infertility.
If you are breast feeding, tell your doctor. It is not known if paclitaxel passes into breast milk. Because of the possibility of harm to the infant stop breast-feeding if you are taking Paclitaxel Injection. Do not restart breast-feeding unless your doctor has allowed you to.
Driving and using machines
Paclitaxel Injection may cause side effects such as tiredness (very common) and dizziness (common) that may affect your ability to drive and use machinery. If you experience these symptoms, do not drive or operate machinery until they have fully resolved. If you are given other medicines as part of your treatment, you should ask your doctor for advice on driving and using machines.
This medicine contains alcohol. Therefore it may be unwise to drive immediately after a course of treatment.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Paclitaxel Injection
Paclitaxel Injection contains castor oil that may cause severe allergic reactions. If you are allergic to castor oil, talk to your doctor before you receive Paclitaxel Injection.
Paclitaxel Injection contains alcohol - each millilitre of Paclitaxel Injection includes 0.391 g of alcohol. A Paclitaxel Injection dose of 300 mg/50 ml contains 20 g of alcohol, equivalent to 429 ml beer or 179 ml wine.
Harmful for those suffering from alcoholism. To be taken into account in pregnant or breast-feeding women, children and high-risk groups such as patients with liver disease or epilepsy.
The amount of alcohol in this medicinal product may alter the effects of other medicines.
3. How Paclitaxel Injection is given to you
• To minimise allergic reactions, you will be given other medicines before you receive Paclitaxel Injection. These medicines can be given as either tablets or infusion into a vein or both.
• You will receive Paclitaxel Injection as a drip into one of your veins (by intravenous infusion), through an in-line filter. Paclitaxel Injection will be
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• Use as soon as possible after dilution
• Avoid excessive agitation, vibration or shaking
• Flush the infusion sets thoroughly before use.
• Regularly inspect the appearance of the infusion and stop the infusion if precipitation is present.
Chemical and physical in-use stability of the diluted solution has been demonstrated at 5° and at 25°C for 7 days when diluted in 5% Dextrose solution, and for 14 days when diluted in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection. From a microbiological point of view, the diluted product should be used immediately or maintained at 2 to 8°C for a maximum of 24 hours.
Paclitaxel Injection must be administered through an appropriate in-line filter with a microporous membrane of < 0.2 micrometres. DEHP-free infusion containers and administration sets must be used. Use of filter devices which incorporate short inlet and/or outlet plasticised tubing has not resulted in significant leaching of DEHP
Step 3: Disposal
Dispose of any unused product or waste material in accordance with local requirements for handling of cytotoxic compounds.
administered to you by a healthcare professional. He or she will prepare the solution for infusion before it is given to you. The dose you receive will also depend on results of your blood tests. Depending on the type and severity of the cancer you will receive Paclitaxel Injection either alone or in combination with another anticancer agent.
• Paclitaxel Injection should always be administered into one of your veins over a period of 3 or 24 hours. It is usually given every 2 or 3 weeks, unless your doctor decides otherwise. Your doctor will inform you about the number of courses of Paclitaxel Injection you need to receive.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor.
If you are given more Paclitaxel Injection than you should
There is no known antidote for Paclitaxel Injection overdose. You will receive treatment of your symptoms.
If a dose of Paclitaxel Injection has been missed
If you think a dose has been missed let your doctor or nurse know.
A double of the dose should not be given if a dose has been forgotten.
If you stop using Paclitaxel Injection
Your doctor will decide when to stop treatment with paclitaxel.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Paclitaxel Injection can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any signs of allergic reactions. These may include one or more of the following:
• flushing,
• skin reactions,
• itching,
• chest tightness,
• shortness or difficulty in breathing,
• swelling.
These can all be signs of serious side effects.
Tell your doctor immediately:
• If you have fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers (signs of bone marrow suppression).
• If you have numbness or weakness of the arms and legs (signs of peripheral neuropathy).
• If you develop severe or persistent diarrhoea, with fever and stomach pain.
Very common side effects
These are likely to affect more than 10 in 100 people.
• Minor allergic reactions such as flushing, rash, itching
• Infections: mainly upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infection
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat or mouth ulcers, sore and red mouth, diarrhoea, feeling or being sick (nausea, vomiting)
• Hair loss
• Pain in the muscles, cramps, pain in the joints
• Fever, severe chills, headache, dizziness, tiredness, looking pale, bleeding, bruising more easily than normal
• Numbness, tingling or weakness in arms and legs (all symptoms of
peripheral neuropathy)
• Tests may show: reduction of blood platelet count, white or red blood cells count, low blood pressure
Common side effects
These are likely to affect up to 10 in 100 people.
• Temporary mild nail change and skin changes, reactions at injection sites (localised swelling, pain, and redness of the skin)
• Tests may show: slower heart rate, severe elevation in liver enzymes (alkaline phosphatase and AST - SGOT)
Uncommon side effects
These are likely to affect up to 10 in 1000 people.
• Shock due to infections (known as 'septic shock')
• Palpitations, cardiac dysfunction (AV block), rapid beating of the heart, heart attack, respiratory distress
• Fatigue, sweating, fainting (syncope), significant allergic reactions, phlebitis (inflammation of a vein), swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat
• Back pain, chest pain, pain around hands and feet, chills, abdominal (tummy) pain
• Tests may show: severe elevation of bilirubin (jaundice), high blood pressure, and blood clot.
Rare side effects
These are likely to affect up to 10 in 10,000 people.
• Shortage of white blood cells with fever and increased risk of infection (febrile neutropenia)
• Affection of nerves with feeling of weakness in muscles of arms and legs (motor neuropathy)
• Shortness of breath, pulmonary embolism, lung fibrosis, interstitial pneumonia, dyspnoea, pleural effusion
• Bowel obstruction, bowel perforation, inflammation of colon (ischaemic colitis), inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
• Pruritus, rash, skin redness (erythema)
• Blood poisoning (sepsis), peritonitis
• Pyrexia, dehydration, asthenia, oedema, malaise
• Serious and potentially fatal hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylactic reactions)
• Tests may show: increase in blood creatinine indicating renal function impairment
Very rare side effects
These are likely to affect up to 10 in 100,000 people.
• Irregular rapid heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia)
• Sudden disorder in blood forming cells (acute myeloid leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome)
• Optic nerve and/or visual disturbances (scintillating scotomata)
• Hearing loss or reduction (ototoxicity), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), vertigo
• Cough
• Blood clot in a blood vessel of abdomen and bowel (mesenteric thrombosis), inflammation of colon sometimes with persistent severe diarrhoea (pseudomembranous colitis, neutropenic colitis), dropsy (ascites), oesophagitis, constipation.
• Serious hypersensitivity reactions including fever, skin redness, pain in joints and/or inflammation of the eye (Stevens-Johnson syndrome), local peeling of the skin (epidermal necrolysis), redness with irregular red (exudative) spots (erythema multiforme), inflammation of the skin with blisters and peeling (exfoliative dermatitis), urticaria, loose nails (patients on therapy should wear sun protection on hands and feet).
• Loss of appetite (anorexia).
• Serious and potentially fatal hypersensitivity reactions with shock (anaphylactic shock).
• Disturbed liver function (hepatic necrosis, hepatic encephalopathy (both with reported cases of fatal outcome))
• Confusional state.
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor.
5. How to store Paclitaxel Injection
Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
Do not use Paclitaxel Injection product after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Before opening
Do not store above 25°C. Keep the vial in the outer carton in order to protect from light.
Freezing does not adversely affect the product.
After opening before dilution (description of the conditions)
From a microbiological point of view, once opened the product may be stored for a maximum of 28 days at 25°C. Other in-use storage times and conditions are the responsibility of the user.
After dilution (description of the conditions)
From a microbiological point of view, the diluted product should be used immediately. If not used immediately, store in a refrigerator (2 to 8°C) for no more than 24 hours, unless dilution has taken place in controlled and validated aseptic conditions. For more details on the stability after dilution, see the section for health-care professionals.
Do not use if you notice a cloudy solution or an insoluble precipitate. Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. Further information
What Paclitaxel Injection contains
The active substance is Paclitaxel.
Each ml of concentrate for solution for infusion contains 6 mg of paclitaxel. Each vial contains 5, 16.7, 25 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml (equivalent to 30, 100, 150, 300 and 600 mg of paclitaxel respectively).
The other ingredients are polyoxyl castor oil (macrogolglycerol ricinoleate) and ethanol.
What Paclitaxel Injection looks like and contents of the pack
Paclitaxel Injection is a clear colourless to slightly yellow solution.
It is available in vials containing 5 ml, 16.7 ml, 25 ml, 50 ml and 100 ml of concentrate for solution for injection.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer:
Accord Healthcare Limited
Sage House, 319, Pinner Road, North Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 4HF, United Kingdom
This leaflet was last approved in 04/2012.
175 mg/m2 over 3 hours, after 3 weeks
trastuzumab (see trastuzumab SPC)
175 mg/m2 over 3 hours 3 weeks
175 mg/m2 over 3 hours, followed 3 weeks
by cisplatin 80 mg/m2;
100 mg/m2 over 3 hours 2 weeks
Dose:
The recommended doses for the intravenous infusion of Paclitaxel Injection are as follows:
|
Indication |
Dose |
Interval between Paclitaxel Injection courses |
|
First-line ovarian carcinoma |
135 mg/m2 over 24 hours, followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m2 or 175 mg/m2 over 3 hours, followed by cisplatin 75 mg/m2 |
3 weeks |
|
Second-line ovarian |
175 mg/m2 over 3 hours |
3 weeks |
|
carcinoma Adjuvant breast carcinoma |
175 mg/m2 over 3 hours; following anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (AC) therapy |
3 weeks |
|
First-line breast carcinoma (with doxorubicin) |
220 mg/m2 over 3 hours, 24 hours after doxorubicin (50 mg/m2) |
3 weeks |
First-line breast carcinoma (with
trastuzumab)
Second-line breast carcinoma Advanced Non-small cell lung carcinoma AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma
Do not readminister Paclitaxel Injection until the neutrophil count is > 1,500/mm3 (> 1,000/mm3 for Kaposi's sarcoma patients) and the platelet count is > 100,000/miT|3 (> 75,000/mm3 for Kaposi's sarcoma patients).
Patients who experience severe neutropenia (neutrophil count < 500/mm3 for a week or longer) or severe peripheral neuropathy should receive a dose reduction of 20% for subsequent courses (25% for Kaposi's sarcoma patients) (see Summary of Product Characteristics).
Inadequate data are available to recommend dosage alterations in patients with mild to moderate heptic impairment. Patients with severe hepatic impairment should not be treated with Paclitaxel Injection (see Summary of Product Characteristics).
Paclitaxel Injection is not recommended for use in children below 18 years due to lack of data on safety and efficacy.
