How do you inject Lupron Depot for prostate cancer?

Key Points

• Lupron Depot (leuprolide acetate) is a depot suspension formulation only injected by your doctor. Lupron Depot is injected into a muscle of your upper arm, upper thigh or buttocks once every month, or once every 3, 4 or 6 months for the treatment of prostate cancer. Depot formulations continuously release medicine into your body over a certain period of time.
• Your injection site may be changed (rotated) each time to prevent you from having injections in the same site frequently.
• Lupron Depot is a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist hormone therapy used for the palliative treatment (to relieve pain and other symptoms) of advanced prostate cancer. Your doctor may recommend you use this medicine long-term.

Carefully read and follow any instructions provided with your medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions or concerns.

How is Lupron Depot injected?

Your doctor or other healthcare provider will prepare and give you this injection for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Lupron Depot comes as 7.5 mg for 1-month administration, 22.5 mg for 3-month administration, 30 mg for 4-month administration, and 45 mg for 6-month injection in a kit with pre-filled dual chamber syringe, for reconstitution. Your doctor will select your dose based on your schedule.

Directions for healthcare providers

Prior to and during administration, healthcare providers should review the illustrated directions for reconstitution and use here.

Reconstitute and administer the lyophilized microspheres as a single intramuscular injection. Do not use concurrently a fractional dose, or a combination of doses of this or any depot formulation due to different release characteristics.

Lupron Depot does not contain a preservative. Inject the suspension immediately or discard if not used within two hours.

1. Visually inspect the Lupron Depot powder. A thin layer of powder on the wall of the syringe is considered normal prior to mixing with the diluent. The diluent should appear clear and colorless. DO NOT USE the syringe if clumping or caking is evident.
2. To prepare for injection, screw the white plunger into the end stopper until the stopper begins to turn (see Figure 1 and Figure 2).
3. Hold the syringe UPRIGHT. Release the diluent by SLOWLY PUSHING (over 6 to 8 seconds) the plunger until the first middle stopper is at the blue line in the middle of the barrel (see Figure 3).
4. Keep the syringe UPRIGHT. Mix the microspheres (powder) thoroughly by gently shaking the syringe until the powder forms a uniform suspension. The suspension will appear milky. If the powder adheres to the stopper or caking/clumping is present, tap the syringe with your finger to disperse. DO NOT USE if any of the powder has not gone into suspension (see Figure 4).
5. Keep the syringe UPRIGHT. With the opposite hand pull the needle cap upward without twisting.
6. Keep the syringe UPRIGHT. Advance the plunger to expel the air from the syringe. Now the syringe is ready for injection.
7. After cleaning the injection site with an alcohol swab, administer the intramuscular injection by inserting the needle at a 90 degree angle into the gluteal area, anterior thigh, or deltoid; injection sites should be alternated (see Figure 5).
8. NOTE: If a blood vessel is accidentally penetrated, aspirated blood will be visible just below the luer lock (see Figure 6) and can be seen through the transparent LuproLoc safety device. If blood is present, remove the needle immediately. Do not inject the medication.
9. Inject the entire contents of the syringe intramuscularly.
10. Withdraw the needle. Once the syringe has been withdrawn, immediately activate the LuproLoc safety device by pushing the arrow on the lock upward towards the needle tip with the thumb or finger, as illustrated, until the needle cover of the safety device over the needle is fully extended and a CLICK is heard or felt (see Figure 7).
11. Dispose of the syringe according to local regulations.

This is not all the information you need to know about Lupron Depot (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) for safe and effective use to treat prostate cancer. Review the full Lupron Depot information here, and discuss any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.

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