Details

Pegfilgrastim is a man-made form of a protein that stimulates the growth of white blood cells in your body. White blood cells help your body fight against infection. Pegfilgrastim is used to prevent neutropenia (a lack of certain white blood cells) that is caused by receiving chemotherapy. To make sure you can safely use pegfilgrastim, tell your doctor if you have sickle cell disorder kidney disease chronic myeloid leukaemia myelodysplasia (also called "pre-leukaemia") or a latex allergy.

Typical Uses

Pegfilgrastim is a long-acting form of the drug, filgrastim. These drugs, called colony-stimulating factors, are used to help stimulate the bone marrow to make white blood cells in patients who are not able to produce enough white blood cells on their own. White blood cells help the body fight infections. Certain medical conditions (e.g., cancer, exposure to large amounts of radiation) and/or medications (e.g., cancer chemotherapy) may reduce the body's ability to make normal white blood cells.

Side Effects

A rare but serious side effect of pegfilgrastim is called capillary leak syndrome. Inform your doctor immediately if you have signs of this condition, which may include decreased urination, tiredness, dizziness or light-headed feeling, and sudden swelling, puffiness, or feeling of fullness. Other side effects of pegfilgrastim are sudden or severe pain in your left upper stomach spreading up to your shoulder rapid breathing, feeling short of breath bruising, swelling, or a hard lump where the medicine was injected kidney problems-little or no urination, pink or dark urine, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath or low white blood cell counts-fever, swollen gums, painful mouth sores, pain when swallowing, skin sores, cold or flu symptoms, cough.

Drug Interactions

• Pegfilgrastim+aldesleukin- Using pegfilgrastim during or too soon after completion of a course of aldesleukin may alter the effects of either medication. Pegfilgrastim should generally not be given from 14 days before until 24 hours after treatment with aldesleukin. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

• Pegfilgrastim+belinostat- Using pegfilgrastim during or too soon after completion of a course of belinostat may alter the effects of either medication. Pegfilgrastim should generally not be given from 14 days before until 24 hours after treatment with belinostat. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

• Pegfilgrastim+cisplatin- Using pegfilgrastim during or too soon after completion of a course of cisplatin may alter the effects of either medication. Pegfilgrastim should generally not be given from 14 days before until 24 hours after treatment with cisplatin. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

• Pegfilgrastim+dacarbazine- Using pegfilgrastim during or too soon after completion of a course of dacarbazine may alter the effects of either medication. Pegfilgrastim should generally not be given from 14 days before until 24 hours after treatment with dacarbazine. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

• Pegfilgrastim+hydroxyurea- Using pegfilgrastim during or too soon after completion of a course of hydroxyurea may alter the effects of either medication. Pegfilgrastim should generally not be given from 14 days before until 24 hours after treatment with hydroxyurea. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Mechanism of action

Pegfilgrastim belongs to a class of medications called colony stimulating factors. It acts on hematopoietic cells (cells in the bone marrow that produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) to increase production of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in the body.

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