Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) is a brand-name injection for IV infusion that’s prescribed for treating certain cancers in adults. As with other drugs, Trodelvy can cause side effects, such as diarrhea, hair loss, and low levels of certain blood cells.

Trodelvy is used to treat the following types of cancer in certain situations:

To use Trodelvy, the cancer must be locally advanced (spread to lymph nodes or nearby areas) or metastatic. Doctors typically prescribe the drug to people who have already tried other specific therapies for these cancers.

Trodelvy is a biologic and belongs to a drug class called antibody-drug conjugates. The drug is not available in a biosimilar version.

Read on to learn about potential common, mild, and serious side effects of Trodelvy. For a general overview of the drug, including details about its uses, see this article.

Trodelvy can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. But if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

These are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who took Trodelvy in clinical trials:

* Trodelvy has a boxed warning for this side effect. This is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
† For more information about this side effect, see the “Side effect specifics” section below.

Mild side effects can occur with Trodelvy use. This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Trodelvy’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects that have been reported with Trodelvy include:

These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. But if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while taking Trodelvy and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch.

* Trodelvy has a boxed warning for this side effect. This is a serious warning from the FDA.
† For more information about this side effect, see the “Side effect specifics” section below.

Trodelvy may cause serious side effects. The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Trodelvy’s prescribing information.

If you develop serious side effects while taking Trodelvy, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects that have been reported and their symptoms include:

* Trodelvy has a boxed warning for this side effect. This is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
† For more information about this side effect, see the “Side effect specifics” section below.

Learn more about some of the side effects that Trodelvy may cause. To find out how often side effects occurred in clinical trials, see the prescribing information for Trodelvy.

Diarrhea

Some people may experience diarrhea from Trodelvy treatment. The drug has a boxed warning for the risk of severe diarrhea. Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings recommended by the FDA. The purpose of a boxed warning is to make patients and doctors aware of the risk of taking a medication.

Diarrhea was a very common side effect that the majority of people taking Trodelvy reported in clinical trials. In most cases, diarrhea was mild, but in some cases, diarrhea was severe.

Diarrhea may also be a symptom of an infection. Your doctor can determine what’s causing your diarrhea. And they’ll recommend the best way to treat it.

What you can do

While you’re taking Trodelvy, your doctor will monitor you for diarrhea. If you get diarrhea, you should tell your doctor whether:

  • it’s the first time you experience diarrhea with Trodelvy treatment
  • your diarrhea is black or bloody
  • your diarrhea does not slow down within 24 hours
  • you have symptoms of dehydration, such as dizziness
  • you’re vomiting or too nauseous to drink any fluids

If you have diarrhea, your doctor may recommend taking an antidiarrheal medication to help decrease this side effect. To help prevent diarrhea, they may also give you another drug, such as atropine, before your Trodelvy dose.

It’s possible for diarrhea, especially severe diarrhea, to cause dehydration. So it’s recommended that you stay hydrated throughout your Trodelvy treatment. In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe certain fluids or electrolytes to help you stay hydrated.

If you have severe diarrhea, your doctor may recommend a lower dose of Trodelvy. (To learn about the dosage of Trodelvy, see this article.) Or they may recommend you stop Trodelvy treatment. They might also prescribe a different medication for your condition.

Low levels of certain white blood cells

It’s possible to develop low levels of certain white blood cells from taking Trodelvy. In fact, this medication has a boxed warning for this risk. Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings recommended by the FDA. The purpose of a boxed warning is to be sure that patients and doctors are aware of the risk of taking a medication.

Specifically, Trodelvy can decrease the levels of white blood cells called neutrophils. These cells are a part of your immune system, and they help your body fight infection. Low neutrophil levels can increase the risk of infection, which can become serious. This side effect was common in people taking Trodelvy in clinical trials, and in some cases it was severe.

If you develop low neutrophil levels, you usually won’t have symptoms. However, if your neutrophil levels get too low, you may have an increased risk of infection. So, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms of infection.

Symptoms can include:

  • fever or chills
  • shortness of breath
  • burning or pain while urinating
  • cough

Though rare, some people with low neutrophil levels developed a condition called febrile neutropenia. With febrile neutropenia, your neutrophil levels are very low and you have a fever. It can also be life threatening.

What you can do

Be sure to report any symptoms of infection to your doctor immediately. If you develop an infection or febrile neutropenia, your doctor will recommend treatment with antibiotics right away.

Throughout your Trodelvy treatment, your doctor will monitor your white blood cell levels. If they become too low, your doctor may recommend decreasing your Trodelvy dose. (To learn about the dosage of Trodelvy, see this article.) In some cases, your doctor may recommend taking another drug to increase your neutrophil levels.

If your neutrophils do not return to their usual levels after a few weeks, your doctor may recommend a different medication for your cancer.

Hair loss

Some people may experience hair loss from taking Trodelvy. Hair loss was a common side effect that people taking Trodelvy reported in clinical trials.

What you can do

If you experience hair loss during your treatment with Trodelvy, talk with your doctor. If it’s severe or bothersome to you, your doctor may recommend ways to decrease this side effect. For example, they may recommend using an over-the-counter drug, such as Rogaine (minoxidil), to help decrease hair loss.

Infusion-related reactions

Infusion-related reactions are possible from Trodelvy treatment.* These reactions may occur during your IV infusion or within 24 hours of your dose. Infusion-related reactions were not very common in clinical trials.

Symptoms can include:

* Trodelvy is given by IV infusion. For more information, see this article.

What you can do

You should be aware of the above symptoms of an infusion-related reaction. This is so you can tell your doctor right away if you develop symptoms.

After your dose of Trodelvy has been completed, your doctor will monitor you for 30 minutes. This is to watch for any infusion-related reactions that may occur.

If you develop an infusion-related reaction while you’re receiving your dose of Trodelvy, your doctor may recommend slowing down your infusion. This may help decrease the symptoms of the reaction. If your reaction does not improve or is severe, your doctor may recommend stopping your infusion.

Before your next infusion, your doctor will give you certain medications to help prevent infusion-related reactions. These may include Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Benadryl (diphenhydramine).

If you develop symptoms of an infusion-related reaction after you leave your doctor’s office or infusion center, call your doctor or go to a hospital right away.

Allergic reaction

As with most drugs, Trodelvy can cause an allergic reaction in some people. This side effect occurred in some people taking Trodelvy in clinical trials. In rare cases, allergic reactions may be severe or life threatening.

Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:

  • skin rash
  • itching
  • flushing
  • swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
  • swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe

What you can do

For mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away. They may recommend ways to ease your symptoms and determine whether you should keep taking Trodelvy. But if your symptoms are serious and you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Trodelvy may cause several side effects. Here are some frequently asked questions about the drug’s side effects and their answers.

Can Trodelvy cause any long-term side effects?

Yes, it’s possible for Trodelvy to cause long-term side effects, such as kidney problems.*

However, most side effects that people taking this medication experienced were short term. Or they went away after stopping Trodelvy treatment.

If you’re concerned about developing long-term side effects during your Trodelvy treatment, talk with your doctor. They can discuss the risk of side effects with you.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Serious side effects of Trodelvy” section above.

If I have side effects from Trodelvy, when should I call my doctor?

Tell your doctor about any side effects that you have from Trodelvy treatment. If you have side effects that are severe or bothersome to you, tell your doctor right away.

It’s important to call your doctor if you experience symptoms of:

Your doctor can help determine whether your side effects are severe. They can also treat these side effects right away so that they don’t worsen. In some cases, they may recommend other medications to help prevent these side effects from occurring.

Your doctor can also advise whether you’ll need to change your treatment plan due to these side effects. If you have severe side effects or an allergic reaction to Trodelvy, your doctor will likely recommend a different treatment option for your cancer.

Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any side effects from Trodelvy treatment.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Serious side effects of Trodelvy” section above.
† For more information about this side effect, see the “Side effect specifics” section above.
‡ Trodelvy has a boxed warning for this side effect. This is a serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Tell your doctor about any medical conditions or medications that you’re taking. In some cases, Trodelvy may not be the best treatment option for you. Your doctor can help determine whether Trodelvy is a safe medication for you to take.

Boxed warnings

This drug has boxed warnings about the risks of diarrhea and low levels of certain white blood cells. These are serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For details, see the “Side effect specifics” section above.

Other precautions

Be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Trodelvy. This drug may not be the right treatment for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. The conditions and factors to consider include:

Low UGT1A1 activity. If you have a decrease in the activity of a specific gene called UGT1A1, you may have an increased risk of developing low levels of certain white blood cells from Trodelvy. And this can be severe. You may also have an increased risk of low red blood cell levels. In this case, your doctor may monitor your blood cell levels more often during treatment. If there are changes to your blood cell levels, your doctor may recommend a lower dose* of Trodelvy. Or they may recommend you stop Trodelvy treatment.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Trodelvy or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe the drug. Ask your doctor what other medications may be better options for you.

Liver problems. It’s not known if Trodelvy treatment is safe for people with moderate to severe liver problems. This medication has not been studied in people with certain liver problems. If you have any liver problems, tell your doctor before taking Trodelvy. They can determine whether this drug may be a safe treatment option for you. Or they may recommend a different medication for your cancer.

* To learn about the dosage of Trodelvy, see this article.

Alcohol and Trodelvy

There are no known interactions between Trodelvy and alcohol.

However, it’s possible for alcohol to worsen certain side effects from Trodelvy treatment. For example, both Trodelvy and alcohol may increase the risk of:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • headache
  • dizziness

If you’d like to drink alcohol during your treatment with Trodelvy, talk with your doctor about how much, if any, is safe for you.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding while taking Trodelvy

Trodelvy is not safe to receive during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Currently, there haven’t been any studies done in pregnant people to see what effects the drug may have on a developing fetus. However, due to the way this drug works to treat cancer, Trodelvy may cause pregnancy loss or congenital anomalies (commonly known as birth defects).

Due to this risk, your doctor will recommend you use birth control during Trodelvy treatment. And they’ll recommend this for at least 6 months after stopping treatment.

Also, if you’re male,* you should use birth control if you have partners who can become pregnant. You should also use it for at least 3 months after your Trodelvy treatment ends.

It’s not known whether Trodelvy passes into breast milk or what effects it may have on a child who’s breastfed.

However, due to any possible risks to your child, your doctor will not recommend breastfeeding during Trodelvy treatment. And they will not recommend breastfeeding for at least 1 month after the end of your treatment.

* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term “male” in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.

It’s possible to experience side effects during your treatment with Trodelvy. Most side effects are mild, but some side effects of Trodelvy may be severe. You should be aware of possible side effects that may occur and when to see your doctor.

If you’d like to learn more about Trodelvy, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help answer any questions you have about side effects from taking the drug.

Besides talking with your doctor, you can do some research on your own. These articles might help:

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.