Everolimus
About Everolimus
Everolimus is an oral prescription medication primarily used to prevent your body from rejecting a newly transplanted kidney or liver. It is also prescribed to treat specific types of cancerous and non-cancerous tumours, including advanced breast cancer, kidney cancer, and tumours associated with tuberous sclerosis complex. By targeting abnormal cell growth and regulating your body's immune response, this medication helps protect your organs and control tumour progression.
To ensure this medication works effectively, you must take Everolimus consistently at the same times every single day. You can take it either consistently with food or consistently without food, but you must not switch back and forth between these methods. Combining this treatment with a balanced diet, proper sun protection, and strict infection-prevention habits will help you achieve the best possible results.
While taking Everolimus, you may experience common side effects such as mouth sores, unusual tiredness, skin rashes, and mild digestive upset. It is critical to monitor your health closely and contact your doctor immediately if you experience severe symptoms, such as a sudden high fever, a new or worsening cough, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.
Before starting this medication, tell your doctor if you have a history of diabetes, high cholesterol, lung problems, or liver damage. Do not take this if you have had a severe allergic reaction to this medication or any similar immunosuppressant medicines in the past.
This medicine can interact with several other drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, which can alter the medication levels in your blood and lead to severe side effects or reduced effectiveness. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or are an elderly individual, you must consult your doctor before starting treatment, as special precautions or dosage adjustments will be necessary.
Uses of Everolimus
Medicinal Benefits
Everolimus helps prevent organ transplant rejection and is also used to treat certain cancers and tumours by regulating immune activity and slowing abnormal cell growth. Key benefits include:
- Prevents Organ Transplant Rejection: By suppressing the immune system, Everolimus helps prevent the body from attacking a transplanted kidney or liver, supporting long-term transplant function and recovery.
- Helps Treat Certain Cancers and Tumours: Everolimus slows the growth and spread of abnormal cells, helping shrink certain cancers and non-cancerous tumours while reducing disease-related symptoms.
- Manages Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: In people with tuberous sclerosis complex, Everolimus helps reduce the size of certain tumours and may lower the frequency of seizures, improving disease management and quality of life.
Directions for Use
- Everolimus can be taken with or without food.
- It is recommended to take Everolimus once daily at the same time each day or as advised by your doctor.
- Swallow Everolimus as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, break, or chew it.
Storage
Side Effects of Everolimus
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Mouth sores, ulcers, or cold sores
- Feeling unusually tired, weak, or sluggish
- Nausea, diarrhoea, or mild stomach discomfort
- Dry skin, mild itching, or a light skin rash
- Mild swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet
Serious Side Effects (Call a doctor right away):
- Signs of an infection, including fever, chills, body aches, or sore throat
- A new or worsening cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath
- Yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark urine, or severe pain on the right side of your stomach
- Sudden swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, or severe difficulty swallowing
- Surgical wounds or cuts that are slow to heal, red, or draining fluid
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Attend All Scheduled Blood Tests: You will need frequent blood and urine tests so your doctor can monitor your kidney function, cholesterol, blood sugar, and the exact amount of medicine in your system.
- Delay Dental or Surgical Procedures: Because Everolimus can significantly slow down wound healing, you must inform your surgeon or dentist that you take this medicine, as you may need to pause treatment temporarily.
- Avoid Live Vaccines: Do not receive any live vaccines (such as the nasal spray flu vaccine or yellow fever vaccine) while taking Everolimus, as your weakened immune system may not protect you adequately.
- Inspect Your Tablets Before Taking: Do not use any tablets that are broken, cracked, crumbling, or show signs of moisture damage inside the packaging.
- Keep a Full List of Your Medicines: Inform every healthcare professional you visit that you are taking Everolimus, as it interacts with many common prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Drug Interactions
- Antifungal medications (such as ketoconazole or itraconazole): Can raise the amount of Everolimus in your blood to dangerously high levels, increasing the risk of severe side effects.
- Certain antibiotics (such as clarithromycin or erythromycin): May block the breakdown of Everolimus, leading to an unsafe build-up of the drug in your body.
- Seizure medications (such as carbamazepine, phenobarbital, or phenytoin): Can lower the effectiveness of Everolimus by speeding up how quickly your body clears the medicine.
- St. John's Wort: This herbal supplement can significantly lower the levels of Everolimus in your system, making your treatment less effective.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionYou are recommended to avoid alcohol consumption while taking Everolimus to avoid unpleasant side-effects.
Pregnancy
unsafeEverolimus is belonging to pregnancy C category. It is not safe in pregnancy as it may causes harm to the unborn baby. Do not conceive a baby while taking Everolimus.
Breast Feeding
unsafeEverolimus should not be taken by breastfeeding mothers as it may harm to the new-born baby.
Driving
cautionEverolimus may cause tiredness (fatigue), do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you feel dizzy.
Liver
cautionEverolimus should be taken with caution in patients dealing with liver disease. The doctor may adjust the dose according to the medical condition of the patient.
Kidney
cautionEverolimus is likely unsafe in patients with severe kidney disease as it may cause kidney failure which can be dangerous, use Everolimus only when prescribed by a doctor.
Children
unsafeEverolimus is not recommended for children below 18 years as the safety and effectiveness were not established.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Avoid Grapefruit and Grapefruit Juice: Grapefruit contains natural compounds that block your body's ability to break down Everolimus, which can cause the medicine to build up to dangerous levels in your blood.
- Practice Gentle Oral Care: To manage or prevent mouth sores, use a soft-bristled toothbrush, rinse your mouth with water or alcohol-free mouthwash after meals, and avoid eating highly spicy, acidic, or very hot foods.
- Protect Yourself from Infections: Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, avoid close contact with people who are actively sick, and speak with your doctor before scheduling any routine vaccinations.
- Protect Your Skin from the Sun: This medicine can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, increasing your risk of skin damage. Wear protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and apply broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors.
Special Advise
Everolimus should be taken under strict medical supervision. The doctor will regularly monitor your condition while taking Everolimus.
Do not have immunizations/vaccinations without a doctor's advice.
Avoid contact with people who have recently received live vaccines.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Breast cancer: It is a type of cancer that develops in breast cells that are stimulated by a female sex hormone called estrogen. Breast cancer may form in lobules (glands that produce milk), ducts of the breast (the pathway that brings milk from glands to the nipple), in the fatty tissue or the fibrous connective tissue within the breast. The tumor cells invade other healthy breast cells and can travel to lymph nodes which are a primary pathway for the cancer cells to move to other parts of the body.
Lung cancer: It happens when cells in the lung begin to grow in an uncontrolled manner. The most common form of lung cancer is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It happens when cells that form the lining of the lung start growing uncontrollably. Persons who smoke are at high risk of lung cancer. A common symptom of lung cancer is a cough that does not go easily followed by shortness of breath. Cancerous cells of the lung spread off and travel through the bloodstream to distant regions of the body and grow.
Pancreatic cancer: It is described as a cancerous growth in the pancreas which normally begins in the cells that generate the juices. Juices are produced by the pancreas ( a gland present behind your stomach) help in the breakdown of food and hormones which help in controlling blood sugar levels.
Kidney cancer: Kidneys are the organs on either side of your backbone directly above your waist. The tubes present inside clean and filter your blood, taking out waste foods and making urine. Kidney cancer produces in the lining of tiny tubes inside your kidneys.
FAQs
Everolimus is used to treat breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and kidney cancer.
Everolimus is an anticancer medicine. It belongs to a group of medicines known as a kinase inhibitor. It works by lowering the blood supply to the tumor, which reduces the growth and spread of cancer cells.
There is no specific duration of treatment with Everolimus. Everolimus is continued till benefit is seen or undesirable toxicity or side effects occur.
Everolimus can lead to serious side effects that consist of severe allergic reactions, angioedema (painless swelling under the skin) and kidney failure which can be dangerous and can lead to death. It is possible that you may develop an infection or problems associated to lungs like breathing problems.
It usually takes three to six months for most types of lung cancer to double their size. It will take a long time for lung cancer to reach a size that could be diagnosed in X-Ray.
Everolimus contains Everolimus, which belongs to the group of medicines known as kinase inhibitors.
Regular monitoring is essential when using Everolimus. Your doctor may check your blood tests, blood sugar, blood pressure, and kidney function. They may also adjust your dose based on your response to treatment or any side effects that occur. It's essential to report any changes or concerns to your doctor to ensure safe and effective treatment.
While taking Everolimus, avoiding certain things is essential to ensure your safety. Avoid consuming grapefruit juice and products and St. John's Wort, as they can interact with the medication. Certain antibiotics, antifungals, and medications can also interact with Everolimus, so consult your doctor before taking any new medications. Additionally, consult your doctor before receiving any vaccinations and avoid high-risk activities that may increase the risk of infections and bleeding. It's also important to avoid getting pregnant or fathering a child while taking Everolimus, as well as breastfeeding. Finally, limit your sun exposure to avoid increasing the risk of skin cancer. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for a comprehensive list of medications and activities to avoid while taking Everolimus.
Everolimus is administered orally in the form of a tablet. Take Everolimus with or without food, as advised by your doctor. Swallow the tablet whole with water; do not crush, break, or chew it. Note: It's important to follow your doctor's instructions and take Everolimus exactly as prescribed
By regularly monitoring your progress through brain scans and other evaluations, your doctor can determine if Everolimus is effectively shrinking your brain tumor.
Everolimus is indeed considered a cytotoxic medication, but it's a targeted therapy that specifically targets cancer cells and inhibits their growth. It's not a traditional chemotherapy medication, but it can still have side effects and be harmful to healthy cells to some extent. If you have any concerns or questions, please consult your doctor or healthcare team to discuss potential risks and benefits and manage any side effects.
Common side effects of Everolimus may include weakness, infection, sinus inflammation, cough, diarrhoea, fever, fatigue, otitis media (infection of the ear), stomatitis (Inflammation of the mouth) and upper respiratory tract infection. Most of these side effects of Everolimus do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
No, Everolimus can cause serious harm or birth defects to an unborn baby. Women who are able to get pregnant must use highly effective birth control during treatment and for several weeks after stopping the medicine. Talk to your doctor if you are planning a pregnancy.
Your doctor needs to check the level of the medicine in your blood to ensure it stays in a safe and effective range. These tests also monitor your kidney function, liver health, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Talk to your doctor to understand your testing schedule.
Mouth sores are a common side effect of Everolimus. You can manage them by brushing gently with a soft toothbrush, using an alcohol-free mouthwash, and avoiding spicy or acidic foods. If they become very painful or prevent you from eating, talk to your doctor.
You can safely receive an inactive (dead) flu shot, but you must completely avoid live vaccines (such as the nasal spray flu vaccine) while taking Everolimus because your immune system is suppressed. Talk to your doctor before receiving any vaccine.
Some patients taking Everolimus may experience mild hair thinning or hair loss. This is typically temporary and usually improves after you finish your treatment. If you are concerned about hair thinning, talk to your doctor.
Everolimus can increase blood glucose levels, which is especially important to monitor if you already have diabetes. Your doctor will check your blood sugar levels regularly during treatment. Talk to your doctor if you experience extreme thirst or frequent urination.
It is highly recommended to limit or avoid alcohol while taking Everolimus, as alcohol can increase your risk of liver damage and worsen side effects like dizziness or fatigue. Talk to your doctor about what is safe for you.
Everolimus can slow down wound healing and increase your risk of infection after surgery. You must notify your surgeon and your prescribing doctor well in advance, as you may need to temporarily stop taking Everolimus before and after your procedure. Talk to your doctor for a personalized plan.
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