Cyramza (Ramucirumab)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Cyramza Used For?
Cyramza contains the active ingredient ramucirumab and belongs to a group of medicines known as antineoplastic (anti-cancer) agents, also called chemotherapy medicines.
Primary Uses
Cyramza is used to treat advanced stomach cancer, including cancer of the junction between the oesophagus and the stomach. It may be used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs.
How It Works
Cyramza works by cutting off the blood supply that allows cancer cells to grow.
How to Take Cyramza
Cyramza is given as an infusion (drip) into your veins and is always administered by your doctor or nurse. You should never prepare or give this medication yourself.
Dosage Instructions
Your doctor will decide the dosage of Cyramza based on your weight. It is given as an infusion over approximately 60 minutes, once every two weeks as part of the treatment cycle. Your doctor will advise how many treatment cycles you need. You may also receive other chemotherapy medicines at the same time.
Pre-medication
Your doctor may give you another medicine before your Cyramza infusion to reduce your risk of developing an infusion-related reaction. If you experience a reaction, you will receive pre-medication for all future infusions.
Important: If you experience an infusion-related reaction during treatment, your doctor or nurse will increase your infusion time.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Becoming more prone to getting infections
- Diarrhoea
- Soreness inside your mouth
- Feeling tired or weak
- Swelling in your hands and lower legs
- Nose bleed
- Stomach pain
- High blood pressure
- Hoarse, rough, or raspy voice
- Fever, chills, sweating, sore throat
- Blockage of the gut (constipation and stomach pain)
- Bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
- Low blood levels of potassium, sodium, or thyroid hormone
- Headache
- High levels of protein in the urine
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Blood clots in arteries which may lead to heart attack or stroke
- Tear or rupture in your arteries
- Hole in the wall of your gut (severe stomach pain, vomiting, fever, chills)
- Severe bleeding in your gut
- Severe allergic reaction
- Vision loss associated with headaches, confusion and seizures
- Abnormal tube-like connections inside the body (fistula)
- Enlargement and weakening of blood vessel wall (aneurysm)
- Infusion-related reactions
- Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) – fits, headache, nausea, vomiting, vision loss
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations you need to discuss with your doctor before starting Cyramza treatment.
Who Should Not Take Cyramza
Do not use Cyramza if you are allergic to ramucirumab or any of the ingredients listed. This medicine is not recommended for use in children under 18 years as safety and effectiveness have not been established.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have: any conditions that may increase your risk of bleeding or impact blood clotting ability; high blood pressure (must be controlled before starting treatment); severe liver disease (cirrhosis) and associated conditions like excessive water retention in your stomach (ascites); recent surgery, upcoming surgery, or poorly healing wounds; enlargement and weakening of a blood vessel wall (aneurysm) or tear in a blood vessel wall (artery dissection).
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Pregnancy and breastfeeding should be avoided during Cyramza treatment and for at least 3 months after the last dose. Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while being treated with Cyramza.
Surgery Warning: If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are being treated with Cyramza. Your doctor will stop treatment for at least 4 weeks before surgery.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Cyramza and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you are taking.
Important: Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are being treated with Cyramza, especially if you are about to start a new medicine.
- Any medicines that may increase your risk of bleeding
- Medicines that impact your body’s blood clotting ability
- Any prescription medicines
- Vitamins or supplements bought without prescription
- Medicines from pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop
Alcohol & Driving
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Cyramza affects you.
Alcohol
No specific alcohol warnings were mentioned in the source material.
Driving and Operating Machinery
It is not known whether Cyramza will affect your ability to drive or use machines. If you experience any symptoms that affect your ability to concentrate and react, do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until the effect goes away.
Storage
Cyramza is stored and handled by healthcare professionals. It comes as a clear to slightly opalescent and colourless to slightly yellow solution in glass vial containers with rubber stoppers.
Overdose Information
As Cyramza is given to you under the supervision of your doctor or nurse, it is unlikely that you will receive too much. However, if you experience any unexpected or worrying side effects after being given Cyramza, immediately tell your doctor or nurse or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital. You may need urgent medical attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cyramza is given once every two weeks as part of a treatment cycle. Your doctor will advise how many treatment cycles you will need based on your individual condition.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any changes in your movement or behaviour, as this may be due to a blood clot that could lead to a stroke.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are being treated with Cyramza. Your doctor will stop your treatment for at least 4 weeks before surgery and decide when it should restart, as Cyramza may impair your body’s ability to heal.
Your blood pressure may increase during Cyramza treatment. Monitor your blood pressure regularly, and if you develop severe high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe blood pressure medication or temporarily stop treatment until it’s controlled.
Tell your doctor if you have any wounds that are not healing as quickly as they normally would. Cyramza may impair your body’s ability to heal, and your doctor may decide to temporarily stop treatment until wounds have healed.
Your doctor may give you another medicine in your infusion before Cyramza to reduce your risk of developing an infusion-related reaction. If you experience a reaction, you will receive pre-medication for all future infusions.
Your doctor will do tests from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent unwanted side effects. The amount of protein in your urine will be checked regularly, and your doctor may adjust your dose based on these results.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.