Monitoring Your Treatment for Advanced Kidney Cancer
Recognizing the importance of follow-up tests
As your treatment journey moves forward, your doctor may periodically perform follow-up tests to see how well your advanced kidney cancer medicine is stopping the continued growth, or progression, of your cancer.
Using monitoring tests to check your progress
Monitoring how well your treatment is working is an important part of your continuing cancer care. Some of the tests that your doctor uses for monitoring your treatment may be the same ones that were used when your advanced kidney cancer was originally diagnosed, such as:
- X-rays: A standard X-ray of the chest area allows doctors to see if the cancer has spread to the lungs. X-rays may also be used to look at other areas areas of your body as well
- Computed Tomography (CT Scan): This highly specialized X-ray takes pictures of your organs from different angles, one section at a time. A computer then puts the images together to show the size and location of abnormalities
- Bone scan: For this test, small amounts of radioactive dye are injected into the bloodstream. The blood carries the dye to areas of bone where a lot of cells are growing. This test can be used to see if the cancer has spread to the bones
Laboratory tests, such as blood tests, may be used to help doctors check the number of red blood cells in your body, as well as to detect the presence of certain other chemicals and hormones. They can also be used to check to see how well your liver is working.
Understanding test results
Monitoring tests are an important way to get information about a patient's kidney cancer survival rate. Your doctor will discuss the results of these tests with you to let you know if they show any of the following:
- Complete response: Also called complete remission, this means your tumor has completely disappeared
- Partial response: Also called partial remission, this result indicates that your tumor has stopped growing and has become even smaller
- Stable Disease: This means that your tumor has stopped growing
- Progressive disease: This means that your tumor has grown or spread to form new tumors in other parts of the body
Having monitoring tests from time to time is a good way to see if your current advanced renal cell carcinoma medicine is working the way it should—and if your condition has changed in any way. This can also help your doctor decide if it is a good time to try a different treatment option, such as another kind of medicine.
Keep track of your advanced
kidney cancer treatment
Afinitor is a prescription medicine used to treat people with advanced kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma or RCC) when certain other medicines have not worked (ie, Sutent® [sunitinib] or Nexavar® [sorafenib]).
Important Safety Information
Patients should not take AFINITOR if they are allergic to AFINITOR or to any of its ingredients. Patients should tell their healthcare provider before taking AFINITOR if they are allergic to sirolimus (Rapamune®) or temsirolimus (Torisel®).
AFINITOR can cause serious side effects including lung or breathing problems, infections and kidney failure, which can even lead to death. If patients experience these side effects, they may need to stop taking AFINITOR for a while or use a lower dose. Patients should follow their healthcare provider's instructions.
Lung or Breathing Problems: In some patients, lung or breathing problems may be severe, and can even lead to death. Patients should tell their healthcare provider right away if they have any of these symptoms: new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, difficulty breathing or wheezing.
Infections: AFINITOR may make patients more likely to develop an infection, such as pneumonia, or a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection. Viral infections may include reactivation of hepatitis B in people who have had hepatitis B in the past. In some people these infections may be severe, and can even lead to death. Patients may need to be treated as soon as possible. Patients should tell their healthcare provider right away if they have a temperature of 100.5°F or above, chills, or do not feel well. Symptoms of hepatitis B or infection may include the following: fever, skin rash, joint pain and inflammation, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, pale stool or dark urine, yellowing of the skin, or pain in the upper right side.
Kidney Failure: AFINITOR may cause kidney failure. In some people this may be severe and can even lead to death. Patients should have tests to check their kidney function before and during their treatment with AFINITOR.
Mouth Ulcers: AFINITOR can cause mouth ulcers and sores. Patients should tell their healthcare provider if they have pain, discomfort, or open sores in their mouth. Their healthcare provider may tell them to use a special mouthwash or mouth gel that does not contain alcohol or peroxide.
Blood Tests: Patients will have regular blood tests before they start AFINITOR and as needed during their treatment. These will include tests to check the patient's blood cell count, kidney and liver function, and blood sugar levels.
Other Medicines/Food and AFINITOR: AFINITOR may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines can affect how AFINITOR works. Using AFINITOR with other medicines can cause serious side effects. Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all of the medicines they take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements such as: St. John's Wort and medicine for fungal infections, bacterial infections, tuberculosis, seizures, HIV-AIDS, heart conditions or high blood pressure, and medicines that suppress their immune system. Patients should not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit during their treatment with AFINITOR as it may make the amount of AFINITOR in their blood increase to a harmful level.
Patients should not take AFINITOR tablets which are broken or crushed. Patients should not chew or crush the tablets.
Liver Problems and Other Medical Conditions: The amount of AFINITOR in the blood was increased in patients who had liver problems. Patients should tell their healthcare provider about all their medical conditions including if they have or have had liver problems, diabetes or high blood sugar, high cholesterol levels, infections, hepatitis B, or other medical conditions.
Vaccinations: Patients should tell their healthcare provider if they are scheduled to receive any vaccinations. Patients should not receive a live vaccine or be around people who have recently received a live vaccine during treatment with AFINITOR.
Use in Pregnancy: It is not known if AFINITOR will harm an unborn baby. Women should use effective birth control while using AFINITOR and for 8 weeks after stopping treatment.
Common Side Effects: Common side effects of AFINITOR include mouth ulcers; feeling weak or tired; cough and shortness of breath; diarrhea; skin problems (such as rash, dry skin, and itching); nausea and vomiting; fever; loss of appetite; swelling of arms, hands, feet, ankles, face or other parts of the body; abnormal taste; inflammation of lining of the digestive system; headache; nose bleeds; and pain in arms and legs.
Patients should tell their healthcare provider if they have any side effect that bothers them or does not go away.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for AFINITOR
Sutent®, Rapamune® and Torisel® are registered trademarks of Pfizer Inc.
Nexavar® is a registered trademark of Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
