SUTENT is used to treat advanced kidney cancer (advanced renal cell carcinoma or RCC).
You may have side effects or reactions to SUTENT. For most patients, these are moderate
and may be managed, though some can be serious. Your doctor may change your dose
or stop your treatment.
Be sure to talk to your doctor or nurse about any side effects or concerns you have.
Some side effects are more serious than others. It is important that you know the
signs of these side effects so you can tell your doctor if any of these problems
occur.
SUTENT can cause serious liver problems, including death.
Tell your doctor right away if you develop any of the following during treatment
with SUTENT:
- Itching
- Yellow eyes or skin
- Dark urine
- Pain or discomfort in the right upper stomach area.
Your doctor should do blood tests to check your liver function before you start
taking SUTENT and during treatment.
SUTENT may cause heart problems, including:
- Heart failure
- Heart muscle problems (cardiomyopathy)
- Tell your doctor if you feel dizzy, faint, very tired, have abnormal heartbeats,
are short of breath, or have swollen feet and ankles
- Abnormal heart rhythm changes
- Your doctor may do electrocardiograms and blood tests to watch for these problems
during your treatment with SUTENT. Tell your doctor if you feel dizzy, faint, or
have abnormal heartbeats while taking SUTENT
SUTENT may cause high blood pressure. Your doctor may check your blood pressure
during treatment with SUTENT. He or she may prescribe medicine for you to treat
high blood pressure, if needed.
SUTENT may cause bleeding sometimes leading to death. Tell your doctor right away
if you have any of following symptoms during treatment with SUTENT:
- Serious bleeding problem
- Painful swollen stomach (abdomen)
- Vomiting blood
- Black sticky stools
- Bloody urine
- Headache or change in your mental status
Your doctor can tell you other symptoms to watch for.
SUTENT may cause hormone problems, including thyroid and adrenal gland problems.
Your doctor may do tests to check your thyroid and adrenal gland function during
SUTENT treatment. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following signs and symptoms
during treatment with SUTENT:
- Tiredness that worsens and does not go away
- Loss of appetite
- Heat intolerance
- Feeling nervous or agitated, tremors
- Sweating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fast heart rate
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Feeling depressed
- Irregular menstrual periods or no menstrual periods
- Headache
- Hair loss
Patients who take SUTENT have these side effects more often than other side effects:
- The medicine in SUTENT is yellow, and it may make your skin look yellow. Your skin
and hair may get lighter in color
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- Fever
- Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, upset
stomach, abdominal pain, and constipation. Talk with your healthcare provider about
ways to handle these problems
- Rash or other skin changes, including drier, thicker, or cracking skin
- Blisters or a rash on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet
- Taste changes
- Loss of appetite
- Pain or swelling in your arms or legs
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Bleeding, such as nosebleeds or bleeding from cuts
Call your healthcare provider if you have any swelling or bleeding during treatment
with SUTENT.
These are not all possible side effects of SUTENT. For more information, ask your
healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side
effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
You may have had some of the side effects listed above before starting treatment
with SUTENT.
Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if there is any change
or increase in your side effects.