Vegzelma
Vegzelma (bevacizumab or bevacizumab-adcd) is a targeted anticancer treatment for several types of cancers like colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, and kidney cancer. Vegzelma (bevacizumab) is injected into a vein (intravenous, IV), typically every 2 to 3 weeks. It can be used by itself, or given together with other anticancer medications. Most people tolerate Vegzelma (bevacizumab) well. But there have been rare reports of serious side effects like blood clots, bleeding, and tears in the gut. Common side effects of Vegzelma (bevacizumab) are high blood pressure and protein in the urine (proteinuria).
What is Vegzelma (bevacizumab)?
What is Vegzelma (bevacizumab) used for?
- Metastatic, recurrent, or persistent cervical cancer
- Metastatic colorectal cancer
- Recurrent glioblastoma (a type of brain tumor)
- Nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer
- Ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer
- Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer)
How Vegzelma (bevacizumab) works
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) is a targeted therapy anticancer medication known as a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor. VEGF is a specific protein that helps cancer cells grow by promoting and expanding their blood supply. Vegzelma (bevacizumab) works by blocking VEGF. This cuts off cancer’s blood supply, helping slow down its growth.
Drug facts
Side effects of Vegzelma (bevacizumab)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
The side effects below were reported by more than 10% of the people who received Vegzelma (bevacizumab) in clinical trials:
- Nose bleeds
- Headache
- High blood pressure
- Runny nose
- Higher levels of protein in urine test
- Changes in taste
- Dry skin
- Bleeding that’s difficult to stop
- Dry eyes or too much tears
- Back pain
- Peeling or blistering skin
Please note: You might receive Vegzelma (bevacizumab) along with other medications. If so, ask your provider what side effects you might expect from other anticancer medications you're taking.
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Tears in the gut: fever, chills, intense stomach pain or cramps, bloating
- Fistulas: skin irritation around the anus, discharge from the anus, swelling or redness around the anus, blood in the stool
- Serious bleeding (general): unusual bleeding, bleeding that’s difficult to stop, easy bruising, blood in urine or stool
- Bleeding in the lungs: Chest pain, cough, trouble breathing, wheezing, fast heartbeat
- Stomach bleeds: tiredness, vomiting blood, stomach cramps, black or tarry stool, blood in the stool
- Stroke: sudden numbness or weakness in the arm, leg, or face, confusion, trouble seeing, headache, difficulty walking
- Blood clot in the lungs: cough, chest pain, trouble breathing, racing heart
- Blood clot in the heart: chest pain, stomach discomfort, sweating, nausea, dizziness
- Blood clot in the leg: leg cramp, swelling, pain, muscle tightness
- Dangerously high blood pressure: anxiety, blurry vision, confusion, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, headache
- Dangerously high blood pressure: anxiety, blurry vision, confusion, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, headache
- Serious kidney problems: trouble thinking clearly, nausea, vomiting, feeling very tired, urinating less than usual, cloudy-looking urine
- Serious infusion reactions: trouble breathing, itching or hives, flushing, swelling, chest pain, fast heartbeat, dizziness, fainting
The following Vegzelma (bevacizumab) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Black, tarry stools
bleeding gums
body aches or pain
burning, tingling, numbness, or pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs
chest pain, discomfort, or tightness
chills
cloudy urine
cracks in the skin
decreased urine output
difficult or labored breathing
dilated neck veins
dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
ear congestion
irregular breathing
irregular heartbeat
lack or loss of strength
lightheadedness
loss of appetite
loss of heat from the body
loss of voice
mood changes
nervousness
pain, redness, or swelling in the arm or leg
painful or difficult urination
pinpoint red spots on the skin
pounding in the ears
rapid breathing
redness of the skin
runny or stuffy nose
seizures
sensation of pins and needles
slow or fast heartbeat
sores on the skin
sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
stabbing pain
sunken eyes
sweating
swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
swelling or inflammation of the mouth
swollen glands
thirst
trouble breathing
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
watery or bloody diarrhea
wrinkled skin
yellow skin
Less common
Bone pain
difficulty with swallowing
fainting
severe constipation
severe vomiting
stomach pain or tenderness
Rare
Back pain
blisters
blurred vision
confusion
dizziness
drowsiness
headache
increased thirst
loss of consciousness
muscle pain or cramps
open sores
pale skin
Incidence not known
Bloody mucus or unexplained nosebleeds
heavy jaw feeling
high fever
hoarseness
indigestion
loosening of a tooth
pain, swelling, or numbness in the mouth or jaw
stomach cramping or burning
stomach pain, usually after eating a meal
sudden weakness in the arms or legs
sudden, severe chest pain
unexplained bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
voice changes
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Belching
bloody nose
change in taste or bad unusual or unpleasant (after) taste
change in walking and balance
clumsiness or unsteadiness
excess flow of tears
stomach discomfort or upset
thinning of the hair
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Pros and cons of Vegzelma (bevacizumab)
Pros
- Short infusion times (typically only 30 minutes, after the first two treatments)
- Works to treat many cancer conditions by itself or in combination with other chemotherapy medications
- An alternative option to Avastin (bevacizumab)
Cons
- Only available as an intravenous (into the vein) infusion, so requires regular visits to a hospital or infusion center for treatment
- Can cause dry skin and dry or teary eyes
- Can causes back pain and headache
- Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding
Pharmacist tips for Vegzelma (bevacizumab)
- Vegzelma (bevacizumab) is given as an infusion into your vein by trained medical staff in a clinic or infusion center. Keep in mind that each infusion can take 30 to 90 minutes, not including the time it takes to check in and receive any other anticancer medications you might need. On infusion days, bring a snack and something to do while you wait for your infusion.
- You might experience a rare reaction during or shortly after your Vegzelma (bevacizumab) infusion, which can be life-threatening. Let your provider know or get help right away if you experience any infusion reactions like trouble breathing, hives, flushing, chest pain, skin turning blue, fast heartbeat, or dizziness.
- Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can raise your blood pressure. Your provider will ask you to monitor your blood pressure regularly, typically at least once every 2 to 3 weeks, while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab). If you develop high blood pressure while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab), your provider will likely prescribe blood pressure medications to help lower your blood pressure to a safe range.
- Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can cause you to bruise or bleed more easily. To lower your risk of bleeding, consider using a soft bristle toothbrush so that it’s more gentle on your gums. Also, consider using an electric razor so you’re less likely to get nicks or cuts while shaving. Take precaution to avoid getting injured. Notify your healthcare provider of any unusual bleeding or bleeding that takes a long time to stop or gets worse over time.
- Let your provider know if you fall down or get into an accident while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab). Even if you don’t notice any signs of injuries on the outside of your body, there’s a chance that you might have bleeding on the inside of your body. It’s best to ask your provider to give you a check up to see if you need more medical attention.
- You should let your healthcare provider know if you are planning to have surgery or other types of procedures. Because Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can make it more difficult for your body to heal from wounds, your provider will typically ask you to stop this medication for a month before and after your procedure, until the wounds are fully healed.
- Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can cause higher levels of protein in your urine. As a result, you might urinate more often or your urine might look dark or cloudy. This can be a sign of kidney problems, so let your healthcare provider know if you have changes in your urination as they may need to order lab tests like a urinalysis to check your kidney health.
- You might experience dry skin while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab). To ease dry skin, you can apply a non-irritation lotion to your skin. Also, try to limit your time in the shower and shower with warm water instead of hot water. If you can, limiting your time under the sun can also help.
- Receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab) treatment might impact your ability to have children (fertility) if you are a female. If you have concerns or questions about this, talk with your provider before you start treatment.
Common questions about Vegzelma (bevacizumab)
Typically, your first Vegzelma (bevacizumab) infusion takes about an hour and a half, which is longer than all following infusions. During your first infusion, your provider and care team will monitor you closely for infusion-related reactions, such as trouble breathing, headache, and high blood pressure. Though not very common, some infusion-related reactions can be dangerous. If you have an allergic reaction, your provider might slow down your Vegzelma (bevacizumab) infusion or stop it altogether. If you don’t experience any reactions, your second Vegzelma (bevacizumab) infusion takes about an hour. And if you continue to respond well to the infusion, all following infusions take about half an hour. If you're planning for your infusion day, you'll want to factor in the time it takes to receive any pre-treatment medications and other chemotherapy or anticancer medications as well.
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) is a biosimilar to Avastin (bevacizumab). In general, you can think of a biosimilar medication as a generic to the original biologic. This means Vegzelma (bevacizumab) works similarly to Avastin (bevacizumab), but they’re not exactly the same. For example, one difference is that while both Vegzelma (bevacizumab) and Avastin (bevacizumab) treat similar cancer conditions, only Avastin (bevacizumab) is FDA-approved to treat liver cancer. Ask your provider if you have more questions about the differences between Vegzelma (bevacizumab) and Avastin (bevacizumab).
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can cause proteinuria, a common side effect where there are higher levels of protein in the urine. Overtime, this can lead to kidney damage. Proteinuria can lead to symptoms like needing to urinate more often, swelling, and cloudy or foamy urine. Your risk of kidney problems is higher if you also have high blood pressure. Because of this, your healthcare provider will check your blood pressure regularly and monitor the levels of protein in your urine through a urine test. If you start to develop higher levels of protein in your urine, your healthcare provider may ask you to hold or permanently stop treatment with Vegzelma (bevacizumab).
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can raise your blood pressure, sometimes to dangerously high levels. It’s not fully understood why this happens, but Vegzelma (bevacizumab) might make it more difficult for your blood vessels to relax, which makes it more difficult for your body to control your blood pressure. Your provider will likely check your blood pressure every 2 to 3 weeks while you’re on treatment with Vegzelma (bevacizumab). If your blood pressure levels become high, your healthcare provider might recommend starting medication(s) to help lower your blood pressure. You can also try to control your blood pressure with lifestyle changes, such as exercising regularly, limiting how much alcohol you drink, and limiting how much salt is in your diet. If it’s difficult to control your blood pressure, your healthcare provider might recommend you stop treatment with Vegzelma (bevacizumab).
There are no studies in humans to show the effects of this medication when breastfeeding. Because of the potential risks to a breastfed infant, you shouldn't breastfeed while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab) and for 6 months after your last dose. Talk with your provider if you have any questions about breastfeeding while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab).
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Risks and warnings for Vegzelma (bevacizumab)
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Injury in the gut and fistulas
- Risk factors: History of pelvic radiation | Receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab) for cervical cancer
Though not common, some people who took Vegzelma (bevacizumab) have developed tears in their gut and fistulas (an abnormal connection from one part of the body to another). These problems are serious and can sometimes even be life-threatening. Gut injuries and fistulas are more likely to happen for people who’ve had radiation around the pelvic region or people with cervical cancer. Most gut tears appeared within 2 months of the first dose of Vegzelma (bevacizumab). And most fistulae develop within 6 months of the first dose. Let your provider know if you have symptoms of gut injuries or fistulas, such as high fever, shivering, vomiting, a lot of stomach pain (especially if it doesn’t go away), pain in the anal area, or severe constipation.
Surgery and wound healing problems
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can make it more difficult for your wound to heal. Let your provider know if you’re planning to have a surgery or procedure. You shouldn’t receive Vegzelma (bevacizumab) a month before and after surgery, and until surgical wounds have fully healed.
In addition, if you get injured while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab) and your wounds are healing very slowly, let your provider know. Your provider might ask you to temporarily stop this medication until your injuries have healed.
Serious bleeding
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can raise the risk of serious bleeding. Bleeding can happen in any area of the body, including in the lungs, stomach, and brain.
Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you experience any serious or unusual bleeding, especially bleeding that’s difficult to stop. Get medical help right away if you feel nauseous, have a sudden or painful headache, feel nauseous, notice a change in your vision, have stomach pain, or are coughing or spitting up blood.
Serious blood clots
- Risk factors: History of blood clots | High cholesterol | Smoking | High blood pressure | Older adult
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can raise your risk for blood clots in your body, including stroke and heart attack. Sometimes, blood clots can be life-threatening. You might be at a higher risk for clots while taking Vegzelma (bevacizumab) if you’ve had blood clots in the past, have high cholesterol, smoke, or have high blood pressure. Symptoms of a blood clot might be different depending on the location of the clot. They can include trouble walking, blurry vision, breathing problems, chest pain, and swelling in the leg. Get medical attention right away if you have any of these symptoms.
High blood pressure
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can raise your blood pressure. Your provider will ask you to monitor your blood pressure at least once every 2-3 weeks while you’re receiving treatment. If your blood pressure starts to rise, your provider might ask you to start blood pressure-lowering medications for you. If your blood pressure isn’t well-controlled by medication, your provider will likely ask you to stop Vegzelma (bevacizumab) until they find a treatment that can bring your blood pressure down to a safe level. If your blood pressure becomes dangerously high, your provider will likely ask you to switch to a different medication. Let your provider know if you notice symptoms of high blood pressure, such as dizziness, tiredness, and headaches.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a very rare side effect of Vegzelma (bevacizumab). Let your provider know if you have any symptoms of PRES, like headache, feeling sluggish, confusion, and blindness.
Symptoms can appear anytime during Vegzelma (bevacizumab) treatment, ranging from within a day of to a year after your first dose. If you develop symptoms, your provider will likely check whether or not you have PRES by ordering a brain scan called a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If you do have PRES, then it’s very likely that your provider will ask you to stop Vegzelma (bevacizumab) treatment. Typically, symptoms of PRES go away within days after you stop this medication.
Kidney problems
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) raises the risk of kidney problems, which can be serious. In clinical trials, people developed kidney problems anywhere from within 2 weeks to about 3 years after starting this medication. Your provider will regularly monitor your kidney health through lab work and taking urine samples while you’re receiving this medication. If you develop kidney problems, your provider might pause Vegzelma (bevacizumab) until your kidney gets better. Talk to your provider if you notice any changes in how often you urinate (more or less) or any blood in your urine so they can check for kidney issues.
Infusion-related reactions
Some people have experienced very serious reactions from the IV infusions of Vegzelma (bevacizumab). These reactions can occur during or even several hours after the infusion. Symptoms can include chest pain, headaches, trouble breathing, and confusion.
If you do have a reaction, your care team might slow down or stop the infusion and treat you with medications, such as corticosteroids or antihistamines, to ease your symptoms. If your reaction isn't too severe, your care team might restart Vegzelma (bevacizumab) infusion at a slower rate. But if you have a serious reaction, then your provider might switch you to a different medication.
Harm to an unborn baby
Based on animal studies, it’s possible that Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can cause side effects if received by mothers during pregnancy. If you’re a female who can get pregnant, your provider will ask you to use birth control while receiving Vegzelma (bevacizumab) and for 6 months after the last dose. Let your provider know right away if you become pregnant during this time.
Possible risk of fertility problems (for females)
Though more research is needed, there’s a possibility that Vegzelma (bevacizumab) might affect your ability to have a child (for females). If you’re a female who’s considering having children in the future, talk with your healthcare provider about possible options for egg freezing before starting treatment with Vegzelma (bevacizumab).
Heart problems
- Risk factors: History of treatment anthracycline-based chemotherapy
Make sure your provider is aware of all the anticancer medications you’ve received in the past. Vegzelma (bevacizumab) can raise the risk of developing heart failure for people who have received anthracycline-based chemotherapy, such as doxorubicin, in the past. This means your heart might become too weak to pump blood to other parts of your body, and you can experience symptoms such as trouble breathing, swelling in the legs or feet, or sudden weight gain. If you’ve received an anthracycline-based chemotherapy in the past, make sure your current provider is aware. They might decide to not treat you with Vegzelma (bevacizumab) to avoid the risk of heart failure.
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) dosage
Typical dosage for Vegzelma (bevacizumab)
Vegzelma (bevacizumab) is infused into the veins (IV) by a healthcare provider. Your provider will determine the right dose based on your body weight.
The typical dose of Vegzelma (bevacizumab) ranges from 5 mg/kg to 15 mg/kg infused IV once every 2 to 3 weeks. Your exact dose and how often you’ll get the infusion also depends on the type of cancer you have and what other anticancer medications your provider prescribes.
Interactions between Vegzelma (bevacizumab) and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Tofacitinib
What are alternatives to Vegzelma (bevacizumab)?
