Possible side effects and how to manage them

African-american male doctor talking to patient

Safety information to be aware of

There are potential side effects that can occur with treatment. If you experience any symptoms while taking your medicines, it’s a good idea to take note of them and discuss them with your doctor.

Possible serious side effects with TECENTRIQ include, but are not limited to:

lung problems
intestinal problems
liver problems
hormone gland problems
kidney problems
skin problems
problems in other organs
severe infusion reactions
complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic)

The most common side effects of TECENTRIQ when used in lung cancer with other anti-cancer medicines include:

feeling tired or weak
nausea
hair loss
constipation
diarrhea
decreased appetite

Managing certain side effects with TECENTRIQ

Managing certain side effects with TECENTRIQ® (atezolizumab)

These suggestions may help you with overall wellness as well as manage any side effects you may experience while taking TECENTRIQ. Implementing healthy habits may help you feel more balanced and comfortable during treatment. This advice is not meant to replace the advice of your healthcare provider.

4 healthy habits

Building a healthy routine during treatment is important. See if you can add these 4 tips into your daily routine.

Water bottle tilted at a right diagonal with one droplet coming out

Drink plenty of liquids, whether it’s water, soup, milk, or even smoothies

Try stretching or taking short walks throughout the day

Bowl with three pieces of salad floating above

Eat foods full of nutrients, proteins and carbs to provide energy and help keep up your strength

Crescent moon with three z's on top of it

Aim to get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night by keeping your bedroom cool and avoiding screen time

Tips to manage common side effects

As you get started, it’s helpful to know what to expect from treatment, including that TECENTRIQ may cause side effects. If you experience side effects, talk with your healthcare team. Here are some things you can try that may help:

Circle with figure stretching inside

Tired or weak?

Try the following to improve energy:

Balance activity and rest; short naps and short walks both have benefits
Consider a change in diet; some foods may boost energy
Talk with your doctor if you are having trouble sleeping at night
Incorporate activities you enjoy into your daily routine

Circle with a spoon and fork placed vertically next to each other inside

Not much of an appetite?

Consider these nutrition tips:

Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day, snack when you're hungry, and drink fluids between meals
Switch it up: you may find that certain foods and mealtimes work better than others
Keep high-protein, high-calorie snacks handy like dried fruits, yogurt, cheese, and eggs

Circle with figure sitting cross legged with arms extending straight out to either side

Feeling nauseous or vomiting?

These ideas may offer relief:

Distract yourself by doing relaxing activities like listening to music
Eat smaller meals more often
Stay hydrated

Circle with one head of broccoli inside

Constipated?

Try the following suggestions:

Incorporate foods high in fiber into your diet such as beans, berries, broccoli, oatmeal, and whole wheat bread and pasta
Drink more liquids such as water, juice, or tea
Ask your doctor about using a laxative or stool softener

Experiencing diarrhea?

These tips may help you feel more comfortable:

Choose foods that are easy to digest like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, dairy, fat, orange juice, prune juice, and spicy foods
Drink water or other hydrating beverages

Remember that these tips should be reviewed with your healthcare team before adding them into your everyday routine. Your healthcare team is there to support you. We encourage you to be familiar with all potential side effects and to call your doctor if you experience difficulty while taking TECENTRIQ.

NEXT: Important Safety Information

Indication

What is TECENTRIQ?

TECENTRIQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:

Adults with a type of lung cancer called small cell lung cancer (SCLC). TECENTRIQ may be used with the chemotherapy medicines carboplatin and etoposide as your first treatment when your lung cancer:

is a type called “extensive-stage small cell lung cancer,” which means that it has spread or grown.

It is not known if TECENTRIQ is safe and effective in children when used:

In children for the treatment of SCLC.

What is the most important information about TECENTRIQ?
TECENTRIQ can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during your treatment or even after your treatment has ended.

Call or see your healthcare provider right away if you develop any new or worse signs or symptoms, including:

Lung problems

cough
shortness of breath
chest pain

Intestinal problems

diarrhea (loose stools) or more frequent bowel movements than usual
stools that are black, tarry, sticky, or have blood or mucus
severe stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness

Liver problems

yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
severe nausea or vomiting
pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen)
dark urine (tea colored)
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal

Hormone gland problems

headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches
eye sensitivity to light
eye problems
rapid heartbeat
increased sweating
extreme tiredness
weight gain or weight loss
feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual
urinating more often than usual
hair loss
feeling cold
constipation
your voice gets deeper
dizziness or fainting
changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness

Kidney problems

decrease in your amount of urine
blood in your urine
swelling of your ankles
loss of appetite

Skin problems

rash
itching
skin blistering or peeling
painful sores or ulcers in mouth or nose, throat, or genital area
fever or flu-like symptoms
swollen lymph nodes

Problems can also happen in other organs.
These are not all of the signs and symptoms of immune system problems that can happen with TECENTRIQ. Call or see your healthcare provider right away for any new or worse signs or symptoms, including:

Chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, or swelling of ankles
Confusion, sleepiness, memory problems, changes in mood or behavior, stiff neck, balance problems, tingling or numbness of the arms or legs
Double vision, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, eye pain, changes in eyesight
Persistent or severe muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps
Low red blood cells, bruising

Infusion reactions that can sometimes be severe or life-threatening. Signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include:

chills or shaking
itching or rash
flushing
shortness of breath or wheezing
dizziness
feeling like passing out
fever
back or neck pain

Complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These complications can be serious and can lead to death. These complications may happen if you underwent transplantation either before or after being treated with TECENTRIQ. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for these complications.

Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. Your healthcare provider will check you for these problems during your treatment with TECENTRIQ. Your healthcare provider may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. Your healthcare provider may also need to delay or completely stop treatment with TECENTRIQ if you have severe side effects.

Before you receive TECENTRIQ, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

have immune system problems such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus
have received an organ transplant
have received or plan to receive a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic)
have received radiation treatment to your chest area
have a condition that affects your nervous system, such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. TECENTRIQ can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with TECENTRIQ. Females who are able to become pregnant:
- Your healthcare provider should do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with TECENTRIQ.
- You should use an effective method of birth control during your treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if TECENTRIQ passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 5 months after the last dose of TECENTRIQ.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

The most common side effects of TECENTRIQ when used in lung cancer with other anti-cancer medicines include:

feeling tired or weak
nausea
hair loss
constipation
diarrhea
decreased appetite

TECENTRIQ may cause fertility problems in females, which may affect the ability to have children. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about fertility.

These are not all the possible side effects of TECENTRIQ. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information about the benefits and side effects of TECENTRIQ.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
You may also report side effects to Genentech at 1-888-835-2555.

Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for additional Important Safety Information.