Arzerra: Uses, indications and precautions when using

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The drug Arzerra or Ofatumumab is a leukemia drug being used today with the effect of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in the patient's body. The drug has some side effects, so during use, the patient should observe and immediately notify the treating doctor if any unusual symptoms occur.

1. Learn about Ofatumumab

Ofatumumab is a drug used to treat chronic Lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) by stopping the growth and proliferation of malignant cells that cause disease. The drug belongs to the group of monoclonal antibodies and is known as a popular leukemia drug today.
The drug is introduced into the patient's body by slow intravenous infusion, the dose of the drug as well as the duration of drug treatment depends on the individual patient as well as the treatment response of different patients. Because it is a cancer treatment drug, there are many side effects that take place in the course of taking the drug, so before treatment, the patient may be prescribed treatment with some other supportive drugs such as Acetaminophen, antiretroviral drugs. Histamine and corticosteroids are in some cases necessary. It can cause serious infusion-related reactions about 24 hours after taking it. These reactions often appear on the first or second treatment, so during this time the treating doctor needs to closely monitor the patient's health condition and increase the dose slowly to minimize the effects. the risk of side effects caused by the drug.

2. Indications for taking Ofatumumab

Indications for the use of Ofatumumab include:
Progressive Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Relapsing Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

3. Notes when using Ofatumumab

Some common side effects when taking Ofatumumab are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, swelling of the hands, ankles, feet or sleep disturbance. If these symptoms persist for too long and get worse, the patient should immediately notify the treating doctor for treatment. In addition, because this is a leukemia drug, it affects most cells in the body, so there is a high risk of reducing the function of the bone marrow leading to a sharp decrease in the number of blood cells such as red cells. platelets, white blood cells and platelets cause dangerous diseases for patients. Therefore, possible medical conditions when using this drug may be anemia, decreased ability to fight infections, easy bruising... In these cases, the doctor Treatment can check for these cell types through a complete peripheral blood count, so patients need to see their doctor exactly as scheduled to be closely monitored for the progress of these symptoms. this side effect. Clinical manifestations of these diseases include easy bleeding, easy bruising, pale skin and mucous membranes, unusual fatigue, symptoms of infection syndrome such as fever, cold, cough, sore throat prolonged ... may suggest a disorder in the number of blood cells in the patient's body due to the use of Ofatumumab.
In addition, the drug can cause side effects due to the rapid destruction of cancer cells called tumor lysis syndrome. To reduce this risk, when taking the drug, the treating doctor may instruct the patient to drink a lot of water during this time. Symptoms suggestive of tumor lysis syndrome are low back pain, lower back pain, painful urination, blood in the urine, change in the amount of urine, muscle weakness, spasms, etc. Allergic reactions are also possible. occur but at a very low rate with symptoms such as itching, rash, swelling of the face, tongue and throat, severe dizziness, difficulty breathing ... Although these symptoms do not directly endanger the patient's life. but still need to be closely monitored to limit to the maximum.

Ofatumumab is an effective treatment for chronic Lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), because it can help reverse the growth of tumors in the patient's body. Although there are many advantages in treatment, drugs can cause many side effects in patients. Therefore, it is necessary to have specific and clear indications from the doctor so that the treatment is effective and safe to the maximum extent for the patient.
If you need more advice on the use process, patients can go to Vinmec International General Hospital to be examined by doctors and pharmacists and have the best indications for their current health status. Patients should not self-medicate because this always has many potential health risks.

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