Patient receiving an infusion
4-minute read
Your Infusion and You: How to Prepare for Treatment With HALAVEN (eribulin mesylate) Injection
If you and your health care provider (HCP) have decided that treatment with HALAVEN is right for you, you may have some questions about how you receive it. HALAVEN is administered as an infusion,1 which may be a different experience from other medications you have taken. With some basic precautions and a little preparation, managing the treatment may not seem so complicated.
Blood test prior to infusion
Know before you go
First, let's review some important information. Before starting HALAVEN treatment for metastatic breast cancer (mBC), your HCP will need to review your medical history to make sure it's safe for you to take. It's important that you be upfront about all your medical conditions. In particular, your HCP will need to know if you have liver or kidney problems, heart problems (including a condition called congenital long QT syndrome), or low potassium or magnesium levels in your blood.1 This information will be shared with the HCP administering your infusion.
Please be sure to let your HCP know if you are currently, or plan to become, pregnant. HALAVEN has not been studied in women who are pregnant, but it is believed it can potentially harm the fetus. If you think you may become pregnant, talk with your HCP about birth-control methods.1 Additionally, women are advised not to breastfeed during treatment with HALAVEN and for 2 weeks after the final dose.1
Your HCP will also need to know about all the medicines you are taking or if you are planning to take any new medications. Those can include prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines that you buy without a prescription, vitamins, or herbal supplements.1
Before you receive each dose of HALAVEN, your HCP will test your blood cell counts and examine you for numbness, tingling, or burning in your hands and feet.1 Sometimes, based on your medical condition and/or your blood test results, a decrease in dose or a change in scheduling, such as a dose delay, may be required.1
Getting the timing right
You may be wondering what the difference is between an infusion and an injection—after all, they both involve needles. Injections are more common; the needle is inserted into a muscle, fatty tissue, or skin and the medicine is delivered in a matter of seconds. Infusions are used for medications that need to go directly into a vein. While some types of infusions can take a long time to administer, the HALAVEN infusion is given over a short period—2 to 5 minutes for each dose.1
HALAVEN is given in what's called a treatment cycle. The cycle consists of 2 doses administered 1 week apart, followed by 1 week off. Some people may require more than 1 cycle, in which case they would start again after the completion of the week off. Your HCP will determine how many treatment cycles you will require.1
The infusion itself is relatively quick, but a little advance planning is recommended to fit it into your busy life. First off, you'll want to make sure you consider the whole treatment cycle when choosing a start date. You wouldn't want a scheduling conflict to interfere with the second dose or the start of another cycle. Less obvious, but equally important, is to have a plan for the blood tests you'll need before receiving HALAVEN. Work with your care team to determine when to get the tests or if you need to travel to an off-site location for them.
Rest and recovery
The most common side effects of HALAVEN in adults with breast cancer include low white blood cell count (neutropenia), low red blood cell count (anemia), weakness or tiredness, hair loss (alopecia), nausea, and constipation.1 Before you start HALAVEN treatment, it's a good idea to talk to your HCP if you experience these side effects so you know what to do if they occur.
Another note about scheduling: as you're planning the treatment cycle, give yourself time to rest and recover. Some people may feel tired or weak after the infusion, so avoid making plans for after your appointment. You may want someone to drive you to and from your appointment.
Resources
Whether you need a ride across town, or to arrange travel and an overnight stay, resources are available to help people with mBC get to their appointments. The PAN Foundation is one of several organizations that offer transportation assistance for people who need to travel far distances to receive care.2
mBC treatment is a lot for anyone to go through. Along with the physical aspects of the infusion and the potential after effects, your mental and emotional well-being needs to be managed as well. You can find a long list of mBC community groups and other support groups here. These groups are wonderful resources, and you may be able to connect with others who have been through their treatment cycles and are willing to share their experiences.
Conclusion
With a little advance planning, you can be prepared for the HALAVEN infusion process. Just be sure to review everything with your HCP so you can be prepared to make informed decisions and plan the treatment cycle in a way that fits into your schedule.
- HALAVEN [package insert]. Nutley, NJ: Eisai Inc.; 2021.
- PAN Foundation. Transportation. Accessed July 23, 2021. https://www.panfoundation.org/funds/transportation.
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Who is HALAVEN® (eribulin mesylate) Injection for?
HALAVEN is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, and who have already received other types of anticancer medicines after the cancer has spread.
What safety information do I need to know about HALAVEN?
HALAVEN can cause serious side effects, including
- Low white blood cell count (neutropenia). This can lead to serious infections that could lead to death. Your health care provider will check your blood cell counts. Call your health care provider right away if you develop fever (temperature above 100.5°F), chills, cough, or burning or pain when you urinate, as any of these can be symptoms of infection
- Numbness, tingling, or pain in your hands or feet (peripheral neuropathy). Peripheral neuropathy is common with HALAVEN and sometimes can be severe. Tell your health care provider if you have new or worsening symptoms of peripheral neuropathy
- Your health care provider may delay or decrease your dose or stop treatment with HALAVEN if you have side effects
Before you receive HALAVEN, tell your health care provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you
- have liver or kidney problems
- have heart problems, including a problem called congenital long QT syndrome
- have low potassium or low magnesium in your blood
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. HALAVEN can harm your unborn baby. Tell your health care provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant during treatment with HALAVEN. Females who are able to become pregnant should use an effective form of birth control during treatment with HALAVEN and for at least 2 weeks after the final dose of HALAVEN and males should use an effective form of birth control when having sex with female partners who are able to become pregnant during treatment with HALAVEN and for 3½ months (14 weeks) after the final dose of HALAVEN
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if HALAVEN passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with HALAVEN and for 2 weeks after the final dose of HALAVEN
Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
What are the possible side effects of HALAVEN?
HALAVEN can cause changes in your heartbeat (called QT prolongation). This can cause irregular heartbeats. Your health care provider may do heart monitoring (electrocardiogram or ECG) or blood tests during your treatment with HALAVEN to check for heart problems.
The most common side effects of HALAVEN in adults with breast cancer include low white blood cell count (neutropenia), low red blood cell count (anemia), weakness or tiredness, hair loss (alopecia), nausea, and constipation.
Your health care provider will do blood tests before and during treatment while you are taking HALAVEN.
For more information about HALAVEN, please see full Prescribing Information.
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.