What is dasatinib?
Dasatinib is a cancer medication that slows the growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
Dasatinib is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia
(ALL) when other cancer treatments have not been effective.
Dasatinib may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking dasatinib?
You should not use dasatinib if:
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special
tests to safely use this medication. Before using dasatinib, tell your doctor if you have:
-
liver disease;
-
low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood;
-
heart disease or a heart rhythm disorder; or
-
a personal or family history of "Long QT syndrome."
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an
unborn baby.
Do not use dasatinib
without telling your doctor if you are pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.
Use birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are taking dasatinib,
whether you
are a man or a woman.
Dasatinib use by either parent may cause birth defects. If you are a
man taking dasatinib, use a condom during any sexual activity.
It is not known whether dasatinib passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby.
Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Taking dasatinib may affect your ability to have children whether you are a man or a woman.
Talk to your doctor about your specific risk.
Dasatinib tablets contain lactose. Talk to your doctor before using this medication if you are
lactose-intolerant.
How should I take dasatinib?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger
amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your
prescription label.
This medicine is usually taken once in the morning and once in the evening. Follow your
doctor's instructions. You may take the medication with or without food.
Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this
medication.
Do not crush, chew, or break a dasatinib tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made
to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be
released at one time.
Do not use a tablet that has been accidentally broken. The medicine from a crushed or
broken tablet can be dangerous if it gets in your eyes, mouth, or nose, or on your skin. If you must
handle a broken tablet, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to safely handle and dispose of the tablet.
Dasatinib can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier
for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. To be sure your blood
cells do not get too low, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. It is important that you
not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Store dasatinib at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose of dasatinib?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the
missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time.
Do not
take
extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about dasatinib?
Your pharmacist has information about dasatinib written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of dasatinib?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
-
pale skin, weakness;
-
easy bruising or bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums);
-
fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
-
black, bloody, or tarry stools;
-
vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds;
-
sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the
body;
-
sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech,
or balance;
-
swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet; or
-
uneven heartbeats.
Less serious side effects may include:
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 is the most important information I should know about dasatinib?
Do not
use this medication without your doctor's consent if you are
pregnant. It could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your
doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.
Before using dasatinib, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, low levels of potassium or
magnesium in your blood, heart disease or a heart rhythm disorder, or if you have a personal or family
history of "Long QT syndrome."
Do not crush, chew, or break a dasatinib tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made
to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be
released at one time.
There are many other medicines that can interact with dasatinib.
Tell
your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes
vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new
medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this
list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.
Dasatinib can lower the blood cells that help your body fight infections. This can make it easier
for you to bleed from an injury or get sick from being around others who are ill. To be sure your blood
cells do not get too low, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. It is important that you
not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses. Contact your
doctor immediately if you develop signs of infection.
What should I avoid while taking dasatinib?
Avoid using antacids without your doctor's advice while you are taking dasatinib. Use only
the specific type of antacid your doctor recommends. Antacids contain different medicines and some
types can make it harder for your body to absorb dasatinib.
If you take an antacid, take it at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking dasatinib.
Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses. Contact your
doctor immediately if you develop signs of infection.
What other drugs will affect dasatinib?
Before taking dasatinib, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
-
a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
-
fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora)
-
heart rhythm medication;
-
nefazodone (Serzone);
-
rifabutin (Mycobutin);
-
rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane)
-
dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol);
-
St. John's wort;
-
cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide (Orap);
-
quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinidex, Quinaglute);
-
sirolimus (Rapamune), tacrolimus (Prograf);
-
cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf);
-
HIV medicine such as atazanavir (Reyataz), indinavir
(Crixivan), ritonavir (Norvir), saquinavir (Invirase), nelfinavir (Viracept);
-
ketoconazole (Nizoral) or itraconazole (Sporanox);
-
antibiotics such as erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab,
E.E.S.), telithromycin (Ketek), or clarithromycin (Biaxin);
-
seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Tegretol),
phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton);
-
ergot medicine such as methysergide (Sansert), ergotamine
(Ergomar), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E., Migranal Nasal Spray); or
-
stomach acid reducers such as cimetidine (Tagamet),
esomeprazole (Nexium), famotidine (Pepcid), lansoprazole (Prevacid), nizatidine (Axid),
omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), pantoprazole (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), or ranitidine
(Zantac).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
dasatinib. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This
includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using
a new medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of dasatinib?
