For someone battling cancer or someone in their family, it's normal to have a lot of questions and some fear when your doctor prescribes a new medication. "What is this medicine?", "Will it really help?", "Are there any side effects?" You may be wondering. Have you ever wondered about the Cemiplimab vaccine? So let's talk about it in a friendly and simple way.
What kind of medicine is Cemiplimab?
Simply put, Cemiplimab is a special vaccine that is used to treat certain types of cancer, such as skin cancer and lung cancer. It belongs to a class of drugs called ``monoclonal antibody''.
Think about it, our body has an innate defense system that protects us from diseases, called the immune system, right? Cancer cells are a very cunning type of cell. Sometimes they hide from our defense system, trick it, and grow.
The Cemiplimab vaccine does a very smart thing. It blocks a specific protein that helps cancer cells grow. This drug then blocks it. This means that cancer cells can't hide from our immune system. Our own immune cells can recognize cancer cells, attack them, and destroy them. This means that this drug uses your own body's defenses to help fight cancer.
Things you need to tell your doctor before taking this medicine
Before starting this treatment, it is extremely important to inform your doctor about your complete health history. Because this medicine works with our immune system, special attention should be paid if you have certain medical conditions.
If you have any of the following conditions, be sure to tell your doctor:
- If you have had an allogeneic stem cell transplant: This is very important information.
- Autoimmune diseases: If you have a condition in which the body's own immune system attacks its own healthy cells, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus.
- Diabetes: If you already have diabetes or if someone in your family has it.
- Nervous system diseases: If you have nerve-related diseases such as `Myasthenia gravis` or `Guillain-Barre syndrome`.
- If you have had an organ transplant (`Organ transplant`): If you have had an organ transplant such as a kidney or liver.
- If you are receiving or have recently received radiation treatment.
- Thyroid disease: If you have a condition where the thyroid gland is overactive or underactive.
- If you are trying to get pregnant or are currently pregnant: This is very important. This medicine can cause serious harm to the baby during pregnancy.
- If you are a mother who is breastfeeding.
- If you have had an allergic reaction to Cemiplimab or any other medicine, food, or dye.
Remember, it is very important for your safety to tell your doctor about even the smallest medical condition you have.
How to administer the medicine and things to be aware of
This medicine is not something you can use at home. It is a vaccine that is given through a saline solution (injected into a vein) in a hospital or clinic by a trained medical team.
- What to do if you miss a dose: It is very important to go to your doctor's appointment and receive your treatment exactly on the dates prescribed. If for some reason you are unable to go on the scheduled date, call your medical team immediately and let them know.
- What if I take too much medicine?: This is given in a hospital setting so the chances of this happening are very low. However, if you think you have, immediately call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital , or go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the nearest hospital.
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: This medicine is not recommended if you are trying to get pregnant. You will be tested to make sure you are not pregnant before starting treatment. You must use a reliable form of birth control during treatment and for 4 months after stopping treatment . Also, do not breast-feed your baby during treatment and for 4 months after stopping treatment.
What are the possible side effects of this medicine?
Like any powerful drug, Cemiplimab can cause some side effects. This is because the drug works on both cancer cells and healthy cells to some extent. The most important thing is to be aware of this and inform your doctor immediately if you experience any unusual symptoms.
Let's understand this clearly from the table below.
| Type of side effect | Symptoms you may experience |
|---|---|
| Serious side effects that should be reported to your doctor immediately | |
| Allergic reactions / Infusion reactions | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, difficulty breathing, chest pain, fainting. |
| Serious skin reactions | Symptoms of a cold or flu include red or purple blisters on the skin, peeling skin, sores inside the mouth, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpits. |
| Lung-related problems | Unexplained dry cough, difficulty breathing, wheezing. |
| Liver injury | Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark yellow/brown urine, unusual fatigue. |
| Kidney injury | Decreased urine output, red or dark brown urine, foamy urine, swelling of the ankles, hands, or feet. |
| Problems with hormonal glands (thyroid, adrenals) | Fast heartbeat, weight loss, excessive sweating, shivering, feeling very cold, constipation, weight gain, depression, unusual fatigue, dizziness. |
| High blood sugar levels (Hyperglycemia) | Feeling extremely thirsty, needing to urinate frequently, unusual tiredness, blurred vision. |
| Other serious symptoms | Changes in vision, eye pain, severe headache, neck pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, severe stomach pain, numbness in the limbs, difficulty walking. |
| Side effects that are usually not serious (but should be reported to the doctor if they persist) | |
| Common side effects | Bone pain, muscle pain, diarrhea. |
Can there be problems with other medications?
It has not yet been fully studied how this medicine interacts with other medicines, vitamins, or herbal remedies. Therefore, for your safety, it is very important to tell your doctor about all medicines you take, even vitamins.
Take-Home Message
- Cemiplimab is a powerful drug that stimulates your body's own immune system to fight cancer cells.
- Before starting treatment, be sure to tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions (especially autoimmune diseases, organ transplants).
- While taking the medicine, be very careful about any skin changes, breathing difficulties, vision changes, or other unusual symptoms. If you notice anything, inform your doctor immediately.
- Do not miss the appointments given by the doctor. If you experience any inconvenience, please inform us in advance.
- Strictly follow medical advice regarding pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Cancer treatment is a journey. It's normal to feel uncomfortable and scared during this journey. Your medical team is there to support you. So don't be afraid to ask any questions you have.
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