Zolinza

Zolinza is a prescription medication used to treat a type of cancer called cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in people whose disease has not improved, has gotten worse, or has come back after taking other medications. 

Zolinza belongs to a group of drugs called histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. These work by killing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.

This medication comes in capsule form. It is usually taken by mouth once daily, with food.

Common side effects include fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea.

Zolinza is a prescription medication used to treat a type of cancer called cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in people whose disease has not improved, has gotten worse, or has come back after taking other medications.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.

Common side effects with Zolinza include:

• stomach and intestinal problems, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation and weight loss
• tiredness
• dizziness
• headache
• changes in the way things taste and dry mouth
• nuscle aches
• hair loss
• chills
• fever
• upper respiratory infection
• cough
• increase in blood creatinine
• wwelling in the foot, ankle, and leg
• itching

This is not a complete list of this medication’s side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Some medicines may affect how Zolinza works, or Zolinza may affect how your other medicines work. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) or any other blood thinner
• disopyramide (Norpace)
• dofetilide (Tikosyn)
• erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Erythrocin)
• medications to treat heart arrhythmias
• moxifloxacin (Avelox)
• pimozide (Orap)
• procainamide (Procanbid, Pronestyl)
• quinidine (Quinidex)
• sotalol (Betapace, Betapace AF)
• sparfloxacin (Zagam)
• thioridazine (Mellaril)
• valproic acid (Depakene)

This is not a complete list of all drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Zolinza may cause serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis)
  • sudden swelling in a leg
  • pain or tenderness in the leg. The pain may only be felt when standing or walking.
  • increased warmth in the area where the swelling is.
  • skin redness or change in skin color
• Blood clots that travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolus). Signs and symptoms include
  • sudden sharp chest pain
  • shortness of breath
  • cough with bloody secretions
  • sweating
  • rapid pulse
  • fainting
  • feeling anxious
• Dehydration (loss of too much fluid from the body). This can happen if you are having nausea, vomiting or diarrhea and can not drink fluids well.
• Changes in blood tests: Your doctor will periodically do blood tests to check your blood counts and electrolytes.
  • Low red blood cells. Low red blood cells may make you feel tired and get tired easily. You may look pale, and feel short of breath.
  • Low platelets. Low platelets can cause unusual bleeding or bruising under the skin. Talk to your doctor right away if this happens.
• High blood sugar (blood glucose). If you have high blood sugar or diabetes, monitor your blood sugar frequently as directed by your doctor. Tell your doctor right away if your blood sugar is higher than normal.

Do not take this medication if you are allergic to Zolinza or to any of its ingredients.
 

Make sure to drink at least eight 8-ounce (240-milliliter) cups of water or other liquids every day while taking Zolinza so you do not become dehydrated.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of this medication, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet.

Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have any allergies
• have had a blood clot in your lung (pulmonary embolus)
• have had a blood clot in a vein (a blood vessel) anywhere in your body (deep vein thrombosis)
• have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• have liver disease
• have high blood sugar or diabetes
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Zolinza may harm your unborn baby. Zolinza has not been studied in pregnant women. If you use Zolinza during pregnancy, tell your doctor immediately.
• Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Zolinza will pass into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby while you are taking Zolinza.

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category D. It has been shown that use of Zolinza in pregnant women caused some babies to be born with problems. However, in some serious situations, the benefit of using this medication may be greater than the risk of harm to the baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if this medication crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using this medication.

• Take Zolinza exactly as your doctor tells you to.
• Your doctor will tell you how many Zolinza capsules to take and when to take them.
• Swallow each capsule whole. Do not chew or break open the capsule. If you can't swallow Zolinza capsules whole, tell your doctor. You may need a different medicine.
• Take Zolinza with food.
• If Zolinza capsules are accidentally opened or crushed, do not touch the capsules or the powder contents of the capsules. If the powder from an open or crushed capsule gets on your skin or in your eyes, wash the contacted area well with plenty of plain water. Call your doctor.
• Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of liquids every day while taking Zolinza. Drinking enough fluids may help to decrease the chances of losing too much fluid from your body (dehydration) especially if you are having symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea while taking Zolinza.
• If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until it is almost time for your next dose, just skip the missed dose. Just take the next dose at your regular time. Do not take two doses of Zolinza at the same time.
• If you take too much Zolinza, call your doctor, local emergency room, or poison control center right away.
• Your doctor will check your blood cell counts, blood sugar, blood electrolytes, and other chemistries every two weeks for the first two months of your treatment with Zolinza and then monthly. Your doctor may decide to do other tests to check your health as needed.
• If you have high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or diabetes, continue to monitor your blood sugar as your doctor tells you to. Your doctor may need to change your diet or medicine to help control your blood sugar while you take Zolinza. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are unable to eat or drink normally due to nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your height
• your age
• your gender

The recommended dose is 400 mg orally once daily with food.

If you take too much this medication, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If this medication is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.
 

• Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children.
• Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).