Download What is Alimta? Alimta is chemo drug used to treat lung cancer

ALIMTA®(Pemetrexed)
What is Alimta?
Alimta is chemo drug used to treat lung cancer. Other uses include bladder, breast,
pancreatic cancer.
Before starting Alimta, you have to:
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Take oral Folic acid 350mcg to 1000mcg once daily, starting 1 week before Alimta, and
continue throughout the treatment, and for 21 days after the last treatment.
Receive Vitamin B12 1000mcg intramuscular injection 1 week prior to Alimta, and
continue throughout treatment every 3 cycles thereafter. This is to lower the chances of
side effects of Alimta.
Take oral Dexamethasone tablet 4mg twice daily, starting 1 day before, the day of, and
the day after Alimta treatment.
This helps to prevent skin rash due to Alimta.
Early side effects
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Nausea, vomiting or appetite loss may be experienced.
Stomach upset and/or diarrhoea may occur.
Tiredness or weakness may be felt for a few days after treatment.
Delayed side effects
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A drop in the blood cell counts may occur 7 - 21 days after treatment.
Mouth ulcers may occur within several days of treatment.
Skin rash or itch may occur between treatments, but usually disappear before the next
treatment.
Inform your doctor if any of the following occurs:
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Fever of 38°C or higher.
Diarrhoea lasting longer than 24 hours.
Soreness in the mouth for more than 3 days.
Unusual bleeding, bruising or black stools.
Precaution
You should not take pain killers like naproxen sodium, voltaren sodium, mefenamic acid,
aspirin and so on 5 days before, during and 2 days after Alimta treatment.
What is Alimta?
Alimta is chemo drug used to treat lung cancer. Other uses include bladder, breast,
pancreatic cancer.
If you have any question, please call a nurse or pharmacist at the National Cancer Centre.
The side effects listed above are those that occur frequently. Other side effects may occur.
Please contact your doctor to report.
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