Thyrotropin alfa

Generic name: Thyrotropin Alfa
Brand names: Thyrogen
Dosage form: intramuscular powder for injection (0.9 mg)

Usage of Thyrotropin alfa

Thyrotropin alfa is a manmade form of a protein similar to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which is normally produced by your thyroid. Thyrotropin alfa keeps your TSH levels steady while you undergo thyroid tests or treatments that can reduce TSH and cause symptoms of low thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Thyrotropin alfa is used together with radioactive iodine ablation (a procedure to remove thyroid tissue that was not removed with surgery) in people with thyroid cancer.

Thyrotropin alfa is also used during medical testing to check for certain types of thyroid cancer that has returned after treatment. Thyrotropin alfa may not help your doctor find all signs of cancer, and there is still a chance that some of your cancer could be missed.

Thyrotropin alfa will not treat cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Thyrotropin alfa may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Thyrotropin alfa side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Thyrotropin alfa may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

throat pain or swelling, trouble breathing;

severe headache;

severe nausea or vomiting;

sudden swelling, pain, numbness, or loss of movement in any part of your body;

signs of overactive thyroid--unexplained weight loss, increased appetite, changes in bowel habits, fast or pounding heartbeats, sweating, feeling anxious or irritable; or

signs of a stroke--sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance.

Common side effects of thyrotropin alfa may include:

nausea, vomiting;

headache, dizziness; or

weakness, tiredness.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Thyrotropin alfa

You should not use thyrotropin alfa if you are allergic to it.

To make sure thyrotropin alfa is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);

heart disease or history of stroke;

if you take birth control pills; or

if you are a woman and you smoke or have migraine headaches.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or breastfeeding.

Do not use thyrotropin alfa together with radioactive iodine if your are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How to use Thyrotropin alfa

Usual Adult Dose for Thyroid Cancer:

Two 1 mL (0.9 mg thyrotropin alpha) intramuscular injections into the buttock-Administer second dose 24 hours after firstComments:-Drug stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels are usually lower than, and do not correlate with, thyroid hormone withdrawal Tg levels.-A missed thyroid cancer diagnosis or underestimation of disease extent can occur despite combination testing with radioiodine imaging.-Anti-Tg antibodies may lead to uninterpretable Tg levels from Tg assays; consider further evaluating patients with negative or low-stage radioiodine scans.Use: Adjunctive treatment for ablation in well differentiated thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy and without distant metastases

Usual Adult Dose for Diagnostic:

Two 1 mL (0.9 mg thyrotropin alpha) intramuscular injections into the buttock-Administer second dose 24 hours after firstComments:-Long term effects on thyroid cancer outcomes by use of this drug have not been determined.-There is too little clinical data on use in remnant ablation to say if long term outcomes are equal to those of thyroid hormone withholding prior to ablation.Use: Adjunctive diagnostic tool for serum thyroglobulin testing in well differentiated thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy

Warnings

Use only as directed. Tell your doctor if you use other medicines or have other medical conditions or allergies.

Carefully follow your doctor's instructions about the timing of your medications, scans, and other treatments.

What other drugs will affect Thyrotropin alfa

Other drugs may affect thyrotropin alfa, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use.

Disclaimer

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