Carfilzomib is a new class of drugs called proteasome inhibitors. These proteasome inhibitors basically work by blocking the activity of enzyme complexes called proteasomes.
Carfilzomib was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012 for the treatment of patients with myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, including the proteasome inhibitor Velcade (bortezomib) and an immunomodulatory drug, Revlimid (lenalidomide) or Thalomid (thalidomide).
Side effects of Carfilzomib:
Some most common side effects may appear in patients who received Carfilzomib such as fatigue, chest pain, cough, anemia (low red blood cell count), nausea, low platelet count, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and fever. Kyprolis may also cause dizziness, fainting, and a drop in blood pressure, so caution is advised if you are operating machinery, including automobiles.
You should contact your healthcare team immediately if you experience any of the above-mentioned reactions.
How to use Carfilzomib (Kyprolis):
Carfilzomib will be given as an infusion into a vein by your healthcare team. The infusion lasts around 10 minutes and the dose will be calculated based on your height and weight (body surface area). Your healthcare team will determine the dose of Carfilzomib injection that you receive.
Carfilzomib is given 2 days in a row each week, for 3 weeks, followed by one week without treatment. Each 28-day period is one treatment cycle.
Most patients will receive treatment for as long as their disease improves or remains stable.
However, Carfilzomib multiple myeloma treatment may also be stopped if you experience side effects that cannot be managed.
You will also be given lenalidomide and dexamethasone together with carfilzomib a multiple myeloma treatment. You may also be given other medicines.
How does Carfilzomib work?
Carfilzomib forms an irreversible bond with the proteasome in the nucleus of each myeloma cell. When Carfilzomib inhibits proteasomes, the normal balance within a cell is disrupted. Such kind of disruption results in a number of effects. When proteasomes inhibitors are inhibited the cancerous cells stop dividing and undergo apoptosis (cell death).
In order to stimulate other cancer cells, they stop producing chemicals. Cancerous cells are quite sensitive to these effects in comparison to the normal cells, so in this way cancerous cells die while normal cells are able to recover.
Multiple Myeloma Prognosis: Although median survival in patients with MM is approximately 5 to 7 years, there is major variation in survival depending on host factors, tumor burden (stage), biology (cytogenetic abnormalities), and response to therapy. Tumor burden in MM has traditionally been assessed using the Dude-Salmon staging system and the International Staging System (ISS).
Price of Carfilzomib: Carfilzomib is available at the very lowest price, which can be purchased by a respective patient from any registered pharmaceutical company, after being prescribed by their healthcare professional.
Multiple Myeloma Treatment Drugs: Some other multiple myeloma medications are available which are as follows:
Proteasome inhibitors.
Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs).
Steroids.
Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors antibodies.
and chemotherapy.
Each drug works differently, with the common target of controlling and destroying the multiple myeloma cells.
FAQ's
What kind of drug Carfilzomib is?
Carfilzomib specifically is a proteasome inhibitor.
How does Carfilzomib work?
Carfilzomib works in the body in order to inhibit, or block, a cell’s proteasomes. This is crucial because myeloma cells depend on the proteasomes to recycle proteins to continue to grow as well as multiply.
Is Carfilzomib appropriate for me?
Carfilzomib along with other medicines is for patients with the relapsed multiple myeloma (multiple myeloma that has returned) and for the refractory multiple myeloma (multiple myeloma that no longer responds to the treatment).
How is Carfilzomib administered?
Carfilzomib is administered as an intravenous (IV) infusion. This is an appropriate way in order to put fluids, including medication, into the bloodstream through a vein.
How often will I get Carfilzomib?
You may be given Carfilzomib infusions two days in a row in a given week or once/week, depending on what your healthcare provider feels will work appropriately for you. The treatment cycle with carfilzomib typically consists of three weeks on and one week off.
NOTE: The piece of information mentioned about "All you need to know about Carfilzomib" in this article is just for informational purposes and is not served as a substitute for medical treatment, consultation, diagnosis of a qualified doctor.