Dinutuximab Injection

Dinutuximab injection may cause serious or life-threatening reactions that may occur while the medication is being given or up to 24 hours afterward. A doctor or nurse will watch your child closely while receiving the infusion and for at least 4 hours afterwards to provide treatment in case of a serious reaction to the medication. Your child may be given other medications before and while receiving dinutuximab to prevent or manage reactions to dinutuximab. Tell your doctor immediately if your child experiences any of the following symptoms during your infusion or up to 24 hours after your infusion: hives; rash; itching; reddening of the skin; fever; chills; difficulty breathing or swallowing; swelling of the face, throat, tongue, or lips; dizziness; faintness; or a fast heartbeat.

Dinutuximab injection can cause damage to nerves that may result in pain or other symptoms. Your child may receive pain medication before, during, and after the dinutuximab infusion. Tell your child’s doctor or other health care provider(s) immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms during and after the infusion: severe or worsening pain, particularly in the stomach, back, chest, muscles or joints or numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in the feet or hands.

Keep all appointments with your child’s doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain tests to check your child’s response to dinutuximab injection.

🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?

Dinutuximab injection is used in combination with other medications to treat neuroblastoma (a cancer that begins in nerve cells) in children who have responded to other treatments. Dinutuximab injection is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It works by killing cancer cells.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Dinutuximab injection comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected intravenously (into a vein) over 10 to 20 hours by a doctor or nurse in a medical facility or infusion center. It is usually given for 4 consecutive days within a treatment cycle for up to 5 cycles.

Be sure to tell the doctor how your child is feeling during the treatment. Your child’s doctor may decrease the dose, or stop the treatment for a while or permanently if your child experiences side effects to the medication.

Almost two-thirds of that $3.3 trillion cost – 64% – is paid for by American tax dollars, and that amount is growing. A study by the American Journal of Public Health predicts that taxpayers will shoulder 67.3% of the burden of healthcare costs by the year 2024, Physicians for a National Health Program

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

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

🔔 What special precautions should I follow?

Before receiving dinutuximab injection,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if your child is allergic to dinutuximab, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in dinutuximab injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products your child is taking or plans to take. Your doctor may need to change the doses of medications or monitor your child carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if it is possible that your child could become pregnant. Dinutuximab injection may harm the fetus. If needed, your child should use birth control to prevent pregnancy during treatment with dinutuximab and for up to 2 months after treatment. Talk to your doctor about types of birth control that will work. If your child becomes pregnant while using dinutuximab injection, call your doctor.

🔔 What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss an appointment to receive dinutuximab, call your child’s doctor as soon as possible.