This information is in addition to your consent form(s) and booklet, 'SACT - a guide for patients and their carers'.
Your treatment
Everolimus is an anti-cancer drug also known as a targeted or biological therapy. This drug blocks the growth and spread of cancer by targeting and interfering with the processes in cells that cause the cancer to grow.
Your treatment is taken continuously and will be prescribed in 4 weekly cycles until disease progression or side effects that can no longer be managed. Everolimus tablets are taken once each day with food. You must also start using the dexamethasone mouthwash as prescribed with the first dose of everolimus with the aim of reducing mouth soreness and ulcers.
Your tablets should be taken daily at about the same time every day. You should take them with a glass of water. Do not crush or chew the tablets. You can take them with or without water. If you vomit after taking a dose, do not repeat the dose. Take your next dose at your normal time.
The dose of everolimus may be gradually increased to a maximum of 10mg daily over the first few months of treatment depending on tolerability. Everolimus for the treatment of breast cancer should be taken in combination with hormone therapy.
You should continue taking your hormone (endocrine) therapy even if your everolimus is withheld.
You will have routine blood tests while on treatment as advised by your medical team. The frequency of these blood tests may decrease once you are established on treatment.
Occasionally we may not be able to go ahead with your treatment until your blood counts are back to a safe level. If this happens, your treatment may be delayed a week or your dose reduced.
Avoid having grapefruit or grapefruit juice while taking everolimus. Some medicines and herbal remedies may interact with everolimus. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are starting any new medications.
You are also vulnerable to infection while you are having chemotherapy. Minor infections can become life-threatening in a matter of hours if left untreated. Symptoms of infection include fever, shivering, sweats, sore throat, diarrhoea, discomfort when you pass urine, cough or breathlessness. We recommend that you use a digital thermometer so you can check your temperature. You can buy one from your local chemist.
If you feel unwell, you have symptoms of an infection or your temperature is 37.5ºC or above, or below 36ºC, contact The Christie Hotline straight away on 0161 446 3658 (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Possible side effects
See the Cancer Research UK consent form.
You should have been given a copy of this consent form before you started treatment but it can also be found by visiting www.cancerresearchuk.org and searching ‘Consent forms for SACT (systemic anti-cancer therapy).
See 'SACT - a guide for patients and their carers'.
Contacts
If you have any general questions or concerns about your treatment, please ring the service under which you are being treated.
Please contact your consultant’s secretary or your breast care nurse.