Sorafenib is used to treat kidney, liver, and thyroid
cancer. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer
cells.
Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from
your pharmacist before you start taking sorafenib and each time you get a
refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or
pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth on an empty stomach (at
least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal) as directed by your doctor,
usually twice a day.
The dosage is based on your medical condition and
response to treatment. Do not increase your dose or use this drug more
often or for longer than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any
faster, and your risk of serious side effects will
increase.
Use this medication regularly to get the most benefit
from it. To help you remember, take it at the same times each
day.
Since this drug can be absorbed through the skin and
lungs and may harm an unborn baby, women who are pregnant or who may become
pregnant should not handle this medication or breathe the dust from the
tablets.
Weight loss, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of
appetite, changes in taste, dry skin, mouth sores, hair loss, voice
changes, or tiredness may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse,
tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
People using this medication may have serious side
effects. However, you have been prescribed this drug because your doctor
has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side
effects. Careful monitoring by your doctor may decrease your
risk.
This medication may raise your blood pressure. Check
your blood pressure regularly and tell your doctor if the results are high.
Your doctor may control your blood pressure with
medication.
Treatment with this drug may sometimes cause your
hands/feet to develop a skin reaction called hand-foot syndrome. Tell your
doctor right away if you experience swelling, pain, redness, blisters, or
tingling/burning of the hands/feet. Depending on how severe your hand-foot
syndrome is, your doctor may give you an additional medication to reduce
the symptoms, or may stop or delay your sorafenib
treatment.
This medication can affect how your thyroid works. Tell
your doctor right away if you have signs of an underactive thyroid (such as
weight gain, cold intolerance, slow heartbeat, constipation, or unusual
tiredness) or signs of an overactive thyroid (such as mental/mood changes,
heat intolerance, unusual weight loss).
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side
effects, including:
- easy bruising/bleeding
- signs of liver disease (such as nausea/vomiting that doesn't
stop, stomach/abdominal pain, yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine)
- numb/tingling skin
- slow wound healing
- muscle spasms
- signs of infection (such as sore throat that doesn't go away,
fever)
- signs of heart failure (such as shortness of breath, swelling
ankles/feet, unusual tiredness)
Get medical help right away if you have any very serious
side effects, including:
- chest/jaw/left arm pain
- unusual sweating
- fast/irregular heartbeat
- severe dizziness
- fainting
- vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- black/bloody stools
- sudden/severe back pain or headache
- weakness on one side of the body
- sudden vision changes
- trouble speaking
- confusion
Sorafenib can commonly cause a rash that is usually not
serious. However, you may not be able to tell it apart from a rare rash
that could be a sign of a severe reaction. Get medical help right away if
you develop any rash.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare.
However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a
serious allergic reaction, including:
- rash
- itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat)
- severe dizziness
- trouble breathing
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If
you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or
pharmacist.
In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at
www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about
side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at
1-866-234-2345.
Before taking sorafenib, tell your doctor or pharmacist
if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product
may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or
other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or
pharmacist your medical history, especially of:
- bleeding problems
- recent surgery/injury
- heart disease (such as heart attack, coronary artery
disease)
- high blood pressure
- blood vessel problems (such as an aneurysm or a tear/break in
the aorta or other blood vessels)
- liver disease
Sorafenib may cause a condition that affects the heart
rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can rarely cause serious (rarely
fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe
dizziness, fainting) that need medical attention right
away.
The risk of QT prolongation may be increased if you have
certain medical conditions or are taking other drugs that may cause QT
prolongation. Before using sorafenib, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all
the drugs you take and if you have any of the following
conditions:
- certain heart problems (heart failure, slow heartbeat, QT
prolongation in the EKG)
- family history of certain heart problems (QT prolongation in
the EKG, sudden cardiac death)
Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood may
also increase your risk of QT prolongation. This risk may increase if you
use certain drugs (such as diuretics/"water pills") or if you have
conditions such as severe sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting. Talk to your
doctor about using sorafenib safely.
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about
all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription
drugs, and herbal products).
This medication may cause wounds to heal slowly or
poorly. Before having surgery, talk with your doctor about the risks and
benefits of this medication. Your doctor may tell you to temporarily stop
treatment with this medication at least 10 days before surgery. Ask your
doctor for specific instructions about when to stop and when to restart
treatment with sorafenib. Tell your doctor right away if you have wounds
that are not healing well.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects
of this drug, especially QT prolongation (see above).
Since this drug can be absorbed through the skin and
lungs and may harm an unborn baby, women who are pregnant or who may become
pregnant should not handle this medication or breathe the dust from the
tablets.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become
pregnant. You should not become pregnant while using sorafenib. Sorafenib
may harm an unborn baby. Your doctor should order a pregnancy test before
you start this medication. Women using this medication should ask about
reliable forms of birth control during treatment and for 6 months after the
last dose. Men using this medication should ask about reliable forms of
birth control during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose. If you
or your partner becomes pregnant, talk to your doctor right away about the
risks and benefits of this medication.
It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk.
Because of the possible risk to the infant, breastfeeding is not
recommended while using this drug and for 2 weeks after the last dose.
Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work
or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not
contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you
use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and
share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the
dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
A product that may interact with this drug
is:
Other medications can affect the removal of sorafenib
from your body, which may affect how sorafenib works. Examples include
neomycin, rifamycins (such as rifampin, rifabutin), St. John's wort, drugs
used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin), among
others.
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such
as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison
control center right away. US residents can call 1-800-222-1222. Canada
residents can call 1-844-764-7669.
Do not share this medication with others.
Lab and/or medical tests (such as blood pressure,
liver/thyroid function, complete blood count) should be done while you are
taking this medication. Keep all medical and lab appointments. Consult your
doctor for more details.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If
it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next
dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch
up.
Store at room temperature away from light and moisture.
Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and
pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them
into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when
it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste
disposal company.
Your condition can cause complications in a medical
emergency. For information about enrolling in MedicAlert, call
1-888-633-4298 (US) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).