Pemetrexed Side Effects

Brand Names: Alimta

Please note - some side effects for Pemetrexed may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

Side Effects of Pemetrexed - for the Consumer

Pemetrexed

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Pemetrexed:

Constipation; diarrhea; hair loss; indigestion; loss of appetite; mild sore throat; nausea; pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site; taste changes; tiredness or weakness; vomiting; weight loss.

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); burning, numbness, or tingling; chest pain; chills; decreased amount of urine; fever; irregular heartbeat; mood or mental changes; mouth, throat, or lip sores; persistent cough; persistent sore throat; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; severe or persistent diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain; severe or persistent tiredness or weakness; shortness of breath; swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet; symptoms of dehydration (eg, sluggishness, very dry mouth or eyes); trouble swallowing; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusually pale skin.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.

Side Effects by Body System - for Healthcare Professionals

Other

Side effects below show the incidence of CTC grade 3/4 toxicities in patients who received both pemetrexed and cisplatin along with vitamin supplementation including daily folic acid and vitamin B12.

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects including nausea (84%), vomiting (58%), constipation (44%), anorexia (35%), stomatitis/pharyngitis (28%), diarrhea without colostomy (26%), dehydration (7%), and dysphagia/esophagitis/odynophagia (6%) have been reported. Colitis has been reported rarely.

General

General side effects including fatigue (80%), chest pain (40%), fever (17%), other constitutional symptoms (11%), and edema have been reported.

Respiratory

Respiratory side effects including dyspnea (66%) and interstitial pneumonitis have been reported.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects including neutropenia (58%), leukopenia (55%), anemia (33%), and thrombocytopenia (27%) have been reported.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects including rash/desquamation (22%) have been reported.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects including neuropathy/sensory effects (17%) have been reported.

Renal

Renal side effects including creatinine elevation (16%), and renal failure (2%) have been reported.

Psychiatric

Psychiatric side effects including mood alterations/depression (14%) have been reported.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects including thrombosis/embolism (7%) have been reported.

Immunologic

Immunologic side effects including infection without neutropenia (1%), infection with grade 3 or grade 4 neutropenia (6%), infection/febrile neutropenia-other (3%), and febrile neutropenia (1%) have been reported.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity side effects including allergic reactions (2%) have been reported.

Other

Other side effects including radiation recall have been reported in patients who have previously received radiotherapy.

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