Tecentriq Side Effects: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the thumbs up to Tecentriq (atezolizumab) as a treatment medication for urothelial carcinoma, the most common type of bladder cancer.
What are the side effects of the newly approved prescription medication? The most common Tecentriq side effects are feeling tired, decreased appetite, nausea, urinary tract infection, fever, and constipation.
Meantime, less common but serious side effects are as follows:
- Lung problems (pneumonitis)– signs and symptoms may include new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain
- Liver problems (hepatitis)– signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen), drowsiness, dark urine (tea colored), bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, and feeling less hungry than usual
- Intestinal problems (colitis)– signs and symptoms of colitis may include diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual, blood in your stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools, and severe stomach area (abdomen) pain or tenderness
- Hormone gland problems (especially the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas)– signs and symptoms that your hormone glands are not working properly may include headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches, extreme tiredness, weight gain or weight loss, dizziness or fainting, feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, hair loss, changes in mood or behavior (such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness), feeling cold, constipation, your voice gets deeper, urinating more often than usual, nausea or vomiting, and stomach area (abdomen) pain
- Nervous system problems (neuropathies, meningoencephalitis)– signs of nervous system problems may include severe muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in hands and feet, fever, confusion, changes in mood or behavior, extreme sensitivity to light, and neck stiffness
- Inflammation of the eyes – symptoms may include blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems, eye pain or redness
- Severe infections– symptoms of infection may include fever, cough, frequent urination, flu-like symptoms, and pain when urinating
- Severe infusion reactions– signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, dizziness, fever, feeling like passing out, back or neck pain, and facial swelling
It goes without saying that if you feel any of the above side effects, you should consult your doctor ASAP.
For side effects of cancer drugs check out Herceptin Weight Gain Side Effects.