 is a prescription medication used to treat breast cancer. Halaven belongs to a group of drugs called microtubule inhibitors, which stop the growth and spread of cancer cells.This medication comes in an injectable form and is given into the vein (intravenously) by a healthcare provider on days 1 and 8 of a 21 day cycle.Common side effects of Halaven include weakness, tiredness, hair loss, and nausea. "Pin It")
Halaven Overview
Halaven (generic: eribulin) is a prescription medication used to treat breast cancer. Halaven belongs to a group of drugs called microtubule inhibitors, which stop the growth and spread of cancer cells.
This medication comes in an injectable form and is given into the vein (intravenously) by a healthcare provider on days 1 and 8 of a 21 day cycle.
Common side effects of Halaven include weakness, tiredness, hair loss, and nausea.
Uses of Halaven
Halaven is a prescription medicine used to treat people with breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, and who have already received certain types of anticancer medicines after their breast cancer has spread.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Side Effects of Halaven
Halaven may cause serious side effects, including:
- See "Drug Precautions".
- Halaven can cause changes in your heartbeat (called QTc prolongation). This can cause irregular heartbeats that may lead to death. Your healthcare provider will decide if you need heart monitoring (electrocardiogram or ECG), or blood tests during your treatment with Halaven to watch for this problem.
The most common side effects of Halaven include:
- weakness or tiredness
- hair loss
- nausea
- constipation
Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all the possible side effects of Halaven. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Halaven Interactions
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take other chemotherapy medicines as well as other QT-prolonging medications (a specific change in heart rhythm).
Halaven Precautions
Your healthcare provider should do blood tests regularly to check your blood cell counts before you receive each dose of Halaven.
- Halaven can cause a decrease in white blood cell count (neutropenia). This can make you more likely to get serious infections that could lead to death. You may need treatment in the hospital with antibiotic medicines.
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any of these symptoms of infection while you are receiving Halaven:
- fever (temperature above 100.5°F)
- chills
- cough
- burning or pain when you urinate.
- Halaven can cause numbness, tingling, or burning in your hands and feet (neuropathy). Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms.
Halaven Food Interactions
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Halaven there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Halaven.
Inform MD
Before you receive Halaven, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- have liver or kidney problems.
- have heart problems, including a problem called "congenital long QT syndrome."
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
- are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.
Halaven and Pregnancy
Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Halaven may harm your unborn baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about birth control methods to prevent pregnancy while you receive Halaven. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you are pregnant while you are receiving Halaven.
Halaven and Lactation
Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if Halaven passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take Halaven or breastfeed. You should not do both.
Halaven Usage
- Halaven is injected directly into your vein.
- Halaven is given in "cycles" of treatment, with each cycle lasting 21 days.
- You will receive an injection 1 time each week for two weeks in a row (day 1 and day 8 of a treatment cycle).
- Your healthcare provider may need to decrease your dose of Halaven or change how often you receive it, depending on your blood test results.
Halaven Dosage
The Halaven dose you receive will depend on your height and weight (your body surface area), kidney and liver function, and your body's response to the medication.
Halaven Overdose
Halaven is usually administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting making it unlikely for an overdose to occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.
Forms of Halaven
Active Ingredients: eribulin mesylate
Inactive Ingredients: ethanol, water
Other Requirements
Keep all medical and laboratory appointments.
