Sanofi Oncology

Handout 1: Your Healthcare Team

Partners in Teaching is a nursing tool for healthcare professionals to print out and hand to patients as an educational guide.

In the course of treatment, you should ask your healthcare team any questions you may have about ELOXATIN (oxaliplatin injection) or your therapy. You should also let them know of any symptoms, too.1

Special doctors work with cancer patients, and there are many kinds2

  • Oncologist: A doctor who specializes in treating people with cancer
  • Hematologist: A doctor who specializes in the study and treatment of blood diseases
  • Pathologist: A doctor who specializes in the study of cells and tissues, such as tumors
  • Radiation oncologist: A doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer
  • Radiologist: A doctor who specializes in making and explaining pictures of areas inside the body using x-rays and similar tests
  • Surgeon: A doctor who specializes in operations
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Other members of your health-care team might include:

  • Pharmacists, who dispense prescribed medication
  • Nutritionists, also called dieticians, who help with dietary decisions3
  • Nurses—oncology nurses treat cancer patients, and often give chemotherapy

It’s important to deal with how you feel both emotionally and physically during and after your treatment. You can address your feelings with the medical team, and you can also meet with a counselor, a member of the clergy, or a social worker to talk about how you feel. You can also talk to a social worker in the hospital about ways to get financial aid, transportation, home care, and emotional support.4

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Important Safety Information

Anaphylactic-like reactions to ELOXATIN have been reported and may occur within minutes of ELOXATIN administration. Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines have been employed to alleviate symptoms.

  • Do not take ELOXATIN if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in ELOXATIN or other medicines that contain platinum. Tell your doctor right away if you feel like your throat is closing up, have shortness of breath, a flushed face, a rash, itching/hives, swelling of lips or tongue, sudden cough, dizziness, sweating or chest pain.
  • ELOXATIN can cause nerve problems. Tell your doctor right away if you become sensitive to cold temperatures and cold objects; have trouble breathing, swallowing or saying words; experience jaw tightness, odd feelings in your tongue, or chest pressure; pain; tingling or burning in your hands, feet or around your mouth or throat.
  • Tell your doctor if you develop a dry cough or have trouble breathing; these may be signs of serious lung disease.
  • ELOXATIN can cause liver problems (hepatotoxicity); your doctor will do blood tests to watch for this.
  • Because of the potential risk of fetal harm, pregnant women should not receive ELOXATIN. Women of childbearing potential should avoid becoming pregnant while receiving ELOXATIN.
  • ELOXATIN can cause a decrease in white blood cells, which can lead to infections. Tell your doctor right away if develop any of the following signs of infection: fever, chills, or shivering; cough that brings up mucus, burning or pain on urination, pain on swallowing; sore throat; or redness or swelling at injection site.
  • Other common side effects of ELOXATIN include a decrease in white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and tiredness.
  • Tell your doctor about all the medications you take, including prescription and non-prescription medications, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of ELOXATIN. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Please click here for full prescribing information including boxed WARNING ».

References:

  1. National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services. Chemotherapy and You. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2003. NIH publication 03-1136.
  2. National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services. When Someone in Your Family Has Cancer. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2005. NIH publication 86-2685.
  3. National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services. What You Need To Know About Cancer. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2006. NIH publication 06-1566.
  4. National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services. What You Need To Know About Cancer of the Colon and Rectum. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2003. NIH publication 06-1552.

WARNING: ANAPHYLACTIC REACTIONS

Anaphylactic-like reactions to ELOXATIN have been reported and may occur within minutes of ELOXATIN administration. Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines have been employed to alleviate symptoms.
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INDICATIONS

ELOXATIN® (oxaliplatin injection), used in combination with infusional 5-FU/LV, is indicated for

  • Adjuvant treatment of stage III colon cancer patients who have undergone complete resection of the primary tumor.
  • Treatment of advanced carcinoma of the colon or rectum.
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