Panitumumab (Vectibix®)
Panitumumab (Vectibix®) is a cancer drug. It is used to treat colon or rectal cancer.
What is panitumumab (Vectibix®)?
Panitumumab is also called Vectibix®. It is a type of targeted therapy drug called a monoclonal antibody.
Panitumumab is used to treat bowel (colon or rectal) cancer. It is used if tests show the cancer cells do not have a RAS gene change (mutation). Sometimes this is called wild type RAS cancer.
It is best to read this information with our general information about targeted therapy drugs and the type of cancer you have.
Your cancer team will talk to you about this treatment and its possible side effects before you agree (consent) to have treatment.
More information about this treatment
This information is correct at time of publishing. But sometimes the types of cancer this treatment is used for, or treatment side effects, may change between revision dates.
You can talk to your cancer team if you want more detailed information about this treatment. Or visit the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website, which has patient information leaflets (PIL) for individual drugs.
How panitumumab is given
You usually have panitumumab in a day unit or clinic as an outpatient.
During a course of treatment, you will meet someone from your cancer team, such as a:
- cancer doctor
- specialist nurse
- specialist pharmacist.
This is who we mean when we mention doctor, nurse or pharmacist in this information.
During your course of treatment, you will have regular blood tests. This is to check that it is safe for you to have treatment.
You will meet with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist before you have treatment. They will talk to you about your blood results and ask how you have been feeling. If your blood results are okay, the pharmacy team will prepare your targeted therapy.
You have panitumumab as a drip into a vein (intravenous infusion). You may have it with other cancer drugs.
Your nurse will give you panitumumab through 1 of the following:
- a cannula – a short, thin tube the nurse puts into a vein in the arm or hand
- a central line – a fine tube that goes under the skin of the chest and into a vein close by
- a PICC line – a fine tube that is put into a vein in the arm and goes up into a vein in the chest
- an implantable port (portacath) – a disc that is put under the skin on the chest or arm and goes into a vein in the chest.
You have the first infusion slowly over 60 to 90 minutes. If you do not have any problems, you can usually have your next treatment over 30 to 60 minutes.
Your course of treatment
You usually have panitumumab once every 2 weeks. Your cancer team will discuss your treatment plan with you.
Your cancer team may also give you anti-sickness drugs and other medicines to take home. Take all your capsules or tablets exactly as they tell you to.
About side effects
We explain the most common side effects of this treatment here. We also include some that are less common.
You may get some of the side effects we mention, but you are unlikely to get all of them. And you may have some side effects, including rarer ones, that we have not listed here.
Other cancer treatments may cause different side effects. If you are also having other cancer treatment, you may have other side effects.
Always tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any side effects you have. They can give you:
- drugs to help control some side effects
- advice about managing side effects.
It is important to take any drugs exactly as explained. This means they will be more likely to work for you.
Serious and life-threatening side effects
Some cancer treatments can cause serious side effects. Sometimes, these may be life-threatening. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can explain the risk of these side effects to you.
Contact the hospital
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will give you 24-hour contact numbers for the hospital. If you feel unwell or need advice, you can call at any time of the day or night. Save these numbers in your phone or keep them somewhere safe.
Side effects while treatment is being given
Some people may have side effects while they are having this treatment or shortly after they have it:
Allergic reaction
Some people have an allergic reaction while having this treatment. Signs of a reaction can include:
- feeling hot or flushed
- shivering
- itching
- a skin rash
- feeling dizzy or sick
- a headache
- feeling breathless or wheezy
- swelling of your face or mouth
- pain in your back, tummy or chest.
Your nurse will check you for signs of a reaction during your treatment. If you feel unwell or have any of these signs, tell them straight away. If you do have a reaction, they can treat it quickly.
Sometimes a reaction happens a few hours after treatment. If you develop any of these signs or feel unwell after you get home, contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number.
Always call 999 if swelling happens suddenly or you are struggling to breathe.
Very common side effects
These side effects happen to 10 or more people in every 100 people (10% or more) who have this treatment.
Skin and nail changes
Most people will notice skin or nail changes during this treatment. This usually includes an acne-like rash on the face, neck, chest and back. The rash is most likely to start in the first 2 or 3 weeks of treatment.
Your skin may also feel dry, itchy, scaly or tender and may break or crack. The skin around your nails may become sore. Your nails may become brittle or break easily.
Your skin may burn more easily during treatment and for several months after. Use a sun cream of at least SPF 30. SPF stands for sun protection factor. Cover up with clothing and wear a hat.
Always tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any skin changes. They can give you advice or prescribe creams or medicines to help. Changes to your skin are usually temporary and improve when treatment ends. If you have severe skin side effects, your doctor may suggest waiting a longer time between treatments or having a lower dose.
Rarely, this treatment can cause a serious skin reaction that needs to be treated immediately in hospital. Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number if you have any of these symptoms:
- a skin rash that is spreading
- blistering or peeling skin
- flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature and joint pain
- sores on your lips or in your mouth.
Anaemia (low number of red blood cells)
This treatment can reduce the number of red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. If the number of red blood cells is low, this is called anaemia. You may feel:
- very low in energy
- breathless
- dizzy and light-headed.
If you have these symptoms, contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number. You may need treatment for anaemia. If you are very anaemic, you may need a drip to give you extra red blood cells. This is called a blood transfusion.
Feeling sick
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will prescribe anti-sickness drugs to help prevent or control sickness. Take the drugs exactly as they tell you to, even if you do not feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness than to treat it after it has started.
If you feel sick, take small sips of fluid often and eat small amounts regularly. It is important to drink enough fluids. If you continue to feel sick, or if you are sick (vomit) 1 to 2 times in 24 hours, contact the hospital on the 24-hour number as soon as possible. They will give you advice. They may change your anti-sickness treatment. Let them know if you still feel sick.
Diarrhoea
This treatment may cause diarrhoea. Diarrhoea means passing more stools (poo) than is normal for you, or having watery or loose stools. You may also have stomach cramps. If you have a stoma, it may be more active than usual.
If you are passing loose stools 3 or more times a day and this is not normal for you, contact the hospital as soon as possible on the 24-hour number. Follow the advice they give you about:
- taking anti-diarrhoea medicines
- drinking enough fluids to keep you hydrated and to replace lost salts and minerals
- any changes to your diet that might help.
They might also ask you for a specimen of your stool to check for infection.
Constipation
This treatment can cause constipation. Constipation means that you are not able to pass stools (poo) as often as you normally do. It can become difficult or painful. Here are some tips that may help:
- Drink at least 2 litres (3½ pints) of fluids each day.
- Eat high-fibre foods, such as fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread.
- Do regular gentle exercise, like going for short walks.
If you have constipation, contact the hospital on the 24-hour number for advice. They can give you drugs called laxatives to help.
If you have not been able to pass stools for over 2 days and are being sick, contact the 24-hour number straight away.
Tummy pain
You may get pain in your tummy (abdomen), or have indigestion. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you advice or treatment to help. Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number if your symptoms do not go away, or get worse.
Feeling tired
Feeling tired is a common side effect of this treatment. It is often worse towards the end of treatment and for some weeks after it ends. Try to pace yourself and plan your day so you have time to rest. Gentle exercise, like short walks, can help you feel less tired.
If you feel sleepy, do not drive or use machinery.
Sore mouth and throat
This treatment may cause a sore mouth and throat. You may also get mouth ulcers. This can make you more likely to get a mouth or throat infection. Use a soft toothbrush to clean your teeth or dentures in the morning, at night and after meals.
Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number, if:
- a sore mouth or throat affects how much you can drink or eat
- your mouth, tongue, throat or lips have any blisters, ulcers or white patches.
They can give you advice, and mouthwash or medicines to help with the pain or to treat any infection. Follow their advice and make sure you:
- drink plenty of fluids
- avoid alcohol and tobacco
- avoid food or drinks that irritate your mouth and throat.
Hair changes
This treatment may cause hair changes. You may have some gradual hair loss a few months after treatment starts. You will not usually lose all the hair on your head.
You might also notice:
- a change in the texture or colour of your hair
- more hair growth on your face or chest
- your eyelashes growing longer, or your eyebrows getting thicker.
If you are having problems with hair changes, ask your cancer team for advice. Do not try to cut your eyelashes yourself. Your cancer team can arrange for an eye doctor to do this.
Any hair changes usually go back to normal after treatment ends.
Effects on the eyes
This treatment can affect your eyes and eyesight. Contact lenses can increase the risk of some eye side effects. Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice if you want to use contact lenses during treatment.
Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number if you have any of these symptoms:
- sore, painful, watery or swollen eyes
- eyes that are sensitive to light
- changes to your eyesight.
They may refer you to a specialist eye doctor (ophthalmologist) for advice and treatment. Do not drive if your eyesight is affected.
Effects on the lungs
This treatment can cause changes to the lungs. Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you develop:
- a cough that does not go away
- wheezing
- breathlessness.
You should also tell them if any existing breathing problems get worse. You may have tests to check your lungs.
Loss of appetite
This treatment can affect your appetite. Don’t worry if you do not eat much for 1 or 2 days. But if your appetite does not come back after a few days, or if you are losing weight, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. They can give you advice. They may give you food or drink supplements. Or they may suggest changes to your diet or eating habits to help.
Low levels of magnesium, potassium or calcium in the blood
Back pain
You may have back pain during this treatment. Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice this. They can give you advice and painkillers if needed.
Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
Fluid build-up
This treatment can cause a build-up of fluid in the body. This will slowly get better after treatment ends. Contact the hospital on the 24-hour number if you:
- are gaining weight
- have swelling in your face, legs or ankles.
They can give you advice and treatment to help.
Other side effects
These side effects happen to less than 10 in 100 people (less than 10%) who have this treatment. Some of them are much rarer than this but they are still important to know about. Rare means a side effect that happens to less than 1 in 1,000 people (less than 0.1%).
Bleeding
This treatment may increase your risk of bleeding. Contact the hospital on the 24-hour number if you have any unexplained bleeding such as nosebleeds or blood in your stools (poo).
Hand-foot (palmar-plantar) syndrome
This treatment can affect the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet. This is called palmar-plantar or hand-foot syndrome.
If you have white skin these areas may become red. If you have black or brown skin, these areas might get darker.
The skin on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet may:
- be sore
- be painful, tingle, or swell
- peel, crack or blister.
If you have any of these symptoms, contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number. They can give you advice. This is especially important if you have any broken skin or if walking is difficult. They can prescribe creams and painkillers to help.
You can care for your hands and feet by:
- keeping your hands and feet cool by washing in cool water
- gently moisturising your hands and feet regularly
- wearing gloves to protect your hands and nails when working in the house or garden
- wearing loose cotton socks and avoiding tight-fitting shoes and gloves.
Raised blood sugar levels
This treatment may raise your blood sugar levels and increase the risk of diabetes.
You will have regular blood tests to check this.
Signs of raised blood sugar include:
- feeling thirsty
- needing to pass urine (pee) more often than usual
- feeling more tired than usual.
Contact the hospital on the 24-hour number if you have these symptoms during treatment or after it ends.
If you already have diabetes, your blood sugar levels may be higher than usual. You may need advice and support from your GP or diabetes team about managing this.
Blood clot risk
Cancer and some cancer treatments can increase the risk of a blood clot. Contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number if you have any of these symptoms during or after treatment:
- throbbing pain or swelling in a leg or arm
- reddening of the skin in the area – if you have black or brown skin, this can be harder to notice, but the skin might become darker
- suddenly feeling breathless or coughing.
Always call 999 if you have:
- chest pain
- difficulty breathing.
A blood clot is serious, but it can be treated with drugs called anticoagulants. These thin the blood. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you more information about preventing and treating blood clots.
Changes in blood pressure
Your blood pressure may become higher or lower than normal during this treatment. Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you:
- already have problems with your blood pressure
- are taking medication to control your blood pressure.
You will have regular blood pressure checks during treatment. If you have headaches or feel dizzy, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. These can be signs of blood pressure changes.
Effects on the heart
This treatment can cause a fast heartbeat. Sometimes it can cause chest pain. These are not usually serious. But contact the hospital straight away on the 24-hour number if you have any of these symptoms during or after treatment:
- breathlessness
- dizziness
- changes to your heartbeat (palpitations).
Other conditions can cause these symptoms, and it is important to get them checked by a doctor.
Always call 999 if you have:
- chest pain, pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing across the chest
- difficulty breathing.
Other important information
Other medicines
Some medicines can affect how this treatment works or be harmful while you are having it. Always tell your cancer doctor, nurse or pharmacist about any drugs you are taking or planning to take, such as:
- medicines you have been prescribed
- medicines you buy in a shop, pharmacy or online
- vitamins or supplements
- herbal drugs and complementary or homeopathic therapies
- recreational drugs – for example, cannabis.
Vaccinations
Cancer doctors usually recommend that people with cancer have vaccinations for flu and coronavirus (covid). They may also recommend other vaccines, such as Shingrix® for shingles. These all help reduce your risk of serious illness from these infections. Most people can have these vaccines, including people with weak immune systems.
You should not have live vaccines if your immune system is weak. This includes if you are having or recently had chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other cancer treatments that affect your immune system. Live vaccines can make you unwell because they contain a very weak version of the illness they protect you against. There are several live vaccines, including the yellow fever vaccine.
It is important to ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice about having vaccinations. They can explain what vaccines are right for you and when it is best to have them.
Contraception
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will advise you not to get pregnant or make someone pregnant while having this treatment and for some time afterwards. The drugs may harm a developing baby. It is important to use contraception to prevent pregnancy. Follow their advice about:
- what types of contraception to use
- how long after treatment you should continue to use contraception.
Breastfeeding
You are advised not to breastfeed while having this treatment, or for some time after treatment ends. This is because the drugs could be passed to the baby through breast milk.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can give you more information.
Fertility
Some cancer drugs can affect whether you can get pregnant or make someone pregnant. If you are worried about this, it is important to talk with your doctor before you start treatment.
Medical and dental treatment
If you need medical treatment for any reason other than cancer, always tell the healthcare professional that you are having cancer treatment. Give them the contact details for your cancer doctor or cancer team so they can ask for advice.
If you have appointments with a dentist, always tell them you are having cancer treatment. Talk to your cancer team before you have any dental treatment.
About our information
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.
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References
Visit the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) to download a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) for more detailed information. The leaflet lists all known side effects.
Date reviewed
Our cancer information meets the PIF TICK quality mark.
This means it is easy to use, up-to-date and based on the latest evidence. Learn more about how we produce our information.
The language we use
We want everyone affected by cancer to feel our information is written for them.
We want our information to be as clear as possible. To do this, we try to:
- use plain English
- explain medical words
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- use illustrations to explain text
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We use gender-inclusive language and talk to our readers as ‘you’ so that everyone feels included. Where clinically necessary we use the terms ‘men’ and ‘women’ or ‘male’ and ‘female’. For example, we do so when talking about parts of the body or mentioning statistics or research about who is affected.
You can read more about how we produce our information here.