epirubicin

Epirubicin (Ellence) can cause various heart problems, including changes to your heartbeat and heart rhythm, as well as heart failure. These problems can happen early on in your treatment or they can show up months or years after you stop treatment. Your risk for heart problems goes up the more rounds of treatment you have with epirubicin (Ellence). Your provider will put a cap to the total life-time dose of epirubicin (Ellence) you can receive to try to lower your risk of heart problems. Your provider will also monitor your heart before you start epirubicin (Ellence) and regularly throughout your treatment to look for any problems. Let your care team know if you experience any signs and symptoms of heart damage, including trouble breathing, dizziness or lightheadedness, irregular heartbeats, chest pain, or weight gain.

Though rare, people who received epirubicin (Ellence) have developed blood cancers. Typically, these cancers occur within 1 to 3 years of epirubicin (Ellence) treatment. And the risk for developing blood cancers go up the longer a person receives epirubicin (Ellence). Let your provider know right away if you experience possible symptoms of blood cancer, such as feeling unusually tired and weak, getting infections more often, bruising and bleeding easily, bone pain, fever, unexplained weight loss, or night sweats.

Epirubicin (Ellence) can sometimes cause skin damage to areas near the infusion site and lead to symptoms such as burning, stinging, and pain. This happens when some of the medication leaks out of the infusion area (extravasation) or causes damage to the vein. If you have extravasation, your provider will stop your infusions. They’ll try to ease your pain by having you apply ice packs to the infusion site or administer other medications, like dexrazoxane Totect, to treat the problem. Depending on how severe your condition is, your provider might be able to restart epirubicin (Ellence).

Epirubicin (Ellence) can cause your red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet counts to drop. When your blood cell counts drop too low, you’re at risk for problems such as infection, anemia, and bleeding or bruising. Your provider will frequently monitor your blood cells through lab work. If your blood cell counts drop too low, your provider might need to pause your treatment or lower your dose. Let your provider know right away if you experience symptoms of low blood cell counts, such as:

Some people receiving epirubicin (Ellence) might experience tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), which can then lead to organ damage. TLS happens when cancer cells rapidly die and release their contents into the blood. It typically occurs within the first week of epirubicin (Ellence) treatment. Your provider will monitor your lab work for signs of TLS, which can include higher levels of uric acid, potassium, calcium, and phosphate. Let your provider know right away if you develop any symptoms of TLS, such as dark urine, a racing heart, muscle cramps or spasms, numbness, nausea, or vomiting.

Though rare, epirubicin (Ellence) can cause blood clots, including those in the lungs. Sometimes, these clots can be life-threatening. Symptoms of blood clots can differ depending on where your blood clot is located. Let your provider know right away if you experience dizziness, chest pain, feeling faint, or trouble breathing.

Your provider will check you liver and kidney health before you start and throughout treatment with Epirubicin (Ellence). If you have liver damage, you’re likely to experience more side effects from this medication, so your provider might lower your dose. And if you have kidney damage, your provider might also adjust your dose of epirubicin (Ellence).

Based on animal studies, epirubicin (Ellence) can cause harm to an unborn baby if taken by mothers during pregnancy. If you're able to become pregnant, you should use birth control while you’re receiving epirubicin (Ellence) and for at least 6 months after your last dose. Your provider might ask you to take a pregnancy test before you start treatment to make sure you’re not pregnant.