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Campath® Alemtuzumab - For Intravenous Use Only - illuminating possibilites
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CamCare: It May Change the Way You Think About Treatment Support - CamCare™
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Resources and Tools - View CLL and Cancer support links tools, and downloads to help achieve full benefit to Campath treatment.

 

Meet Our CamCare™ Nurses

Sandy, RN, OCN, has 24 years of experience in the field of oncology. Since becoming an Oncology Certified Nurse in 1988, Sandy has held nursing positions at Swedish Hospital Medical Center, affiliated with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, and Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, caring for hematology and bone marrow transplant patients. She recently coauthored an article, "Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia with Alemtuzumab: A Review for Nurses," published in The Oncology Nursing Forum. She has been with the CamCare program since its inception in 2001. Sandy says that the most satisfying thing about her job is getting to know her patients, teaching them about their disease process, and assisting in managing therapy-related side effects they experience.

Vicki, RN, OCN, received her nursing degree from Solano Community College in 1982. She earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from California State University, San Francisco in 1976. Vicki has been an oncology nurse since 1984 and initially received her oncology certification in 1986. She has spent the majority of her nursing career at Stanford University Hospital specializing in the care of patients undergoing treatment for leukemia and bone marrow transplant. Vicki joined the CamCare team in June 2001. Although Vicki enjoys all aspects of oncology nursing, her greatest joy comes from educating patients and developing relationships with both patients and their caregivers.

Betsy, RN, BSN, OCN, received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio in 1985. She later became an Oncology Certified Nurse in 1995. Her professional experience includes clinical and research positions at the National Cancer Institute of Health, and she was a program coordinator in the Hematology and Oncology Department at Louisiana State University Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. Since May 2001 she has been part of the CamCare team educating healthcare professionals and patients on Campath administration. Betsy has found assisting patients during treatment and involving herself in their lives to be the most rewarding parts of her job.

Rosalie, RN, MSN, CNS, FNP, has over 25 years of experience as a nurse: 20 years in oncology at different settings and specialties: oncologic emergency, neurosurgery, breast, melanoma, XRT, cancer prevention and early detection, BMT and ambulatory treatment center (treats >10,000 patients monthly)—coverage includes: management of cancer treatment/chemo acute adverse effects of standard chemotherapy and phase I trials. Rosalie also manages anticoagulation in oncology. She has published multiple articles on cancer-related fatigue, febrile neutropenia, and triage in oncologic emergencies and wrote a book chapter on triage in an oncologic emergency textbook. Rosalie joined the CamCare nursing staff in 2005.

Annette, RN, BSN, OCN, received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from East Tennessee State University in 1978 and has worked in oncology private practice for 29 years. She became an oncology certified nurse in 1986. She has spent her nursing career at a cancer and blood center specializing in the care of oncology patients and as the research nurse/study coordinator. She coauthored an article "Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor: Current Practice and Novel Approaches" published in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. Annette joined the CamCare team in January 2007.

CamCare™ Support Line: 1-800-473-5832

Indications & Usage

Campath is indicated as a single agent for the treatment of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL).

Important safety information
WARNING: CYTOPENIAS, INFUSION REACTIONS, and INFECTIONS

Cytopenias: Serious, including fatal, pancytopenia/marrow hypoplasia, autoimmune idiopathic thrombocytopenia, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia can occur in patients receiving Campath. Single doses of Campath greater than 30 mg or cumulative doses greater than 90 mg per week increase the incidence of pancytopenia.

Infusion Reactions: Campath administration can result in serious, including fatal, infusion reactions. Carefully monitor patients during infusions and withhold Campath for Grade 3 or 4 infusion reactions. Gradually escalate Campath to the recommended dose at the initiation of therapy and after interruption of therapy for 7 or more days.

Infections: Serious, including fatal, bacterial, viral, fungal, and protozoan infections can occur in patients receiving Campath. Administer prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) and herpes virus infections.

In clinical trials, the frequency of infusion reactions was highest in the first week of treatment. The following serious, including fatal, infusion reactions have been identified in post-marketing reports: syncope, pulmonary infiltrates, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), respiratory arrest, cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, acute cardiac insufficiency, cardiac arrest, angioedema, and anaphylactoid shock.

Prolonged myelosuppression have been reported in patients receiving Campath. Campath treatment results in severe and prolonged lymphopenia with a concomitant increased incidence of opportunistic infections. Assess CD4+ counts after treatment until recovery to ≥ 200 cells/µL. Obtain complete blood counts (CBC) at weekly intervals during Campath therapy and more frequently if worsening anemia, neutropenia, or thrombocytopenia occurs. Withhold Campath for severe cytopenias (except lymphopenia). Discontinue for autoimmune cytopenias or recurrent/persistent severe cytopenias (except lymphopenia).

Administer only irradiated blood products to avoid transfusion associated Graft versus Host Disease (TAGVHD), unless emergent circumstances dictate immediate transfusion.

Routinely monitor patients for CMV infection during Campath treatment and for at least 2 months following completion of treatment. Withhold Campath for serious infections and during antiviral treatment for CMV infection or confirmed CMV viremia. Initiate therapeutic ganciclovir (or equivalent) for CMV infection or confirmed CMV viremia.

Do not administer live viral vaccines to patients who have recently received Campath.

The most common adverse reactions (≥ 10%) were infusion reactions, cytopenias, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and other infections, nausea, emesis, diarrhea, and insomnia.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

For important risk and use information, please see full Prescribing Information (PDF).