Abemaciclib Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Aug 24, 2023.

Applies to abemaciclib: oral tablet.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. If you are a woman who can bear children, your doctor may give you a pregnancy test before you start using this medicine to make sure you are not pregnant. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant during treatment with this medicine and for at least 3 weeks after your last dose. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.

If you plan to have children, talk with your doctor before using this medicine. Some men using this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children).

This medicine may cause diarrhea, which may be severe and lead to dehydration or infections. You may take antidiarrheal medicines (eg, loperamide) if you start to have loose stools. Check with your doctor right away for additional instructions.

Abemaciclib can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.

This medicine may cause serious lung or breathing problems (eg, interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis), which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain, cough, difficulty with breathing, fever or chills.

Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

This medicine may increase your risk of developing blood clots, which may be life-threatening. Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, chest pain, confusion, cough, dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting, fast heartbeat, numbness of the hands, pain, redness, or swelling in the arm or leg, or sudden trouble breathing.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of abemaciclib

Along with its needed effects, abemaciclib may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking abemaciclib:

Other side effects of abemaciclib

Some side effects of abemaciclib may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

See also:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to abemaciclib: oral tablet.

General adverse events

The most common adverse reactions (20% or greater incidence) reported across clinical trials were diarrhea, neutropenia, nausea, abdominal pain, infections, fatigue, anemia, leukopenia, decreased appetite, vomiting, headache, alopecia, and thrombocytopenia.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Venous thromboembolic events, arterial thromboembolic events^[Ref]

Venous thromboembolic events included deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, pelvic venous thrombosis, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, subclavian vein thrombosis, axillary vein thrombosis, DVT inferior vena cava, device-related thrombosis, jugular vein thrombosis, catheter site thrombosis, portal vein thrombosis, hepatic vein thrombosis, jugular vein occlusion, ovarian vein thrombosis, and embolism.^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Very common (10% or more): Alopecia (up to 27%), pruritus (up to 13%), rash (up to 14%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dry skin, nail disorder^[Ref]

Rash included exfoliative rash, mucocutaneous rash, rash erythematous, rash follicular, rash generalized, rash macular, rash maculopapular, rash maculovesicular, rash morbilliform, rash papular, rash papulosquamous, rash pruritic, rash vesicular, and vulvovaginal rash.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Diarrhea (up to 90%), nausea (up to 64%), abdominal pain (up to 35%), vomiting (up to 35%), constipation (up to 17%), stomatitis (up to 15%), dry mouth (up to 14%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dyspepsia^[Ref]

Abdominal pain included upper and lower abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and tenderness.

Stomatitis included mouth ulceration, mucosal inflammation, and oropharyngeal pain.^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Very common (10% or more): Decreased white blood cell count (up to 90%), decreased neutrophil count (up to 88%), anemia (up to 84%), decreased lymphocyte count (up to 63%), decreased platelet count (up to 53%)
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Febrile neutropenia
• Frequency not reported: Neutropenic sepsis^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Very common (10% or more): Increased ALT (up to 48%), increased AST (up to 37%)^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Very common (10% or more): Decreased appetite (up to 45%), decreased weight (up to 14%), dehydration (up to 10%), hypokalemia (up to 11%)^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Very common (10% or more): Arthralgia (up to 15%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Muscle weakness^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Headache (up to 20%), dysgeusia (up to 18%), dizziness (up to 13%)

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased lacrimation^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Infections (up to 51.2%), fatigue/asthenia (up to 65%), peripheral edema (up to 12%), pyrexia (up to 11%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Influenza-like illness^[Ref]

Infections included upper respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, lung infection, pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, sinusitis, vaginal infection, and sepsis.^[Ref]

Renal

• Very common (10% or more): Increased creatinine (up to 99.3%)^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Very common (10% or more): Cough (up to 19%), dyspnea (up to 12%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Interstitial lung disease, pneumonitis^[Ref]

Frequently asked questions

• How long do you take Verzenio for?
• Is Verzenio better than Ibrance?
• Can you take Verzenio after Ibrance fails?
• How long does it take Verzenio to work?
• Is Verzenio (abemaciclib) a chemo drug?
• How effective is Verzenio?

Further information

Abemaciclib side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer