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Practicing self-care during your cancer journey What are the common side effects of cCRT?

What are the common side effects of cCRT?

Learn how you can move forward with your cCRT appointments by staying ahead of side effects

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Nurse Mercedes: Chemotherapy and radiation can cause different side effects. If you experience anything that’s out of the ordinary or notice side effects, tell your care team as soon as possible. When you communicate with your team about how you’re feeling, they can work with you to develop a plan. Never hesitate to speak up. It’s always important to tell us what you need and how you’re doing. For example, if you are experiencing nausea, your doctor may be able to prescribe something to help with this side effect. If you tell us, we can come up with a plan to address it.

It can be helpful to keep track of any new symptoms or changes you have during treatment. Try writing them down in a notebook, or use the IMFINZI side effect tracker. You can bring your notes or the tracker to your doctor’s appointments so we can talk about what you’re experiencing.

Remember, if any part of treatment feels difficult, opening up to your care team can help them connect you with the right support.

Voiceover: Important Product Information

IMFINZI® (durvalumab) is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called SCLC. IMFINZI may be used alone when your limited-stage SCLC (LS-SCLC) cannot be removed by surgery and has responded or stabilized after initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.

IMFINZI can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in your body and affect how they work. Side effects can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. These problems can occur at the same time and at any time during or after treatment.

See your doctor right away if you experience cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, diarrhea or other stool changes, severe stomach pain or tenderness, severe nausea or vomiting, weight changes, increased hunger or thirst, constipation, dizziness or fainting, headaches, changes in urine, eye problems, irregular or rapid heartbeat, muscle pain or weakness, fever, rash, skin blistering, chills, itching or flushing, as this may keep these problems from becoming more serious.

These are not all the possible side effects of IMFINZI. Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions including immune system problems; if you’ve ever had an organ transplant; or are being treated for an infection.

Please see full Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information (Medication Guide) for IMFINZI at IMFINZI.com.

Supporting your cCRT journey

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Practicing self-care during your cancer journey What are the common side effects of cCRT?

What are the common side effects of cCRT?

Nobody likes dealing with side effects, but they’re a common part of treating cancer. Remember to discuss any new or worsening side effects with your care team.

Click on each card to reveal more information

Fatigue During cCRT Icon

Fatigue (tiredness that doesn’t improve with sleep)

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Try to do things when you have more energy, and rest when you need to. Ask family and friends for help if you need it.

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Nausea During cCRT Icon

Nausea

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Try not to eat right before or after treatments. Keep simple or mild foods (like crackers or toast) nearby if your stomach feels upset.

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Brain Fog or Concentration Issues During cCRT Icon

Brain fog or concentration issues

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Get enough sleep at night. Activities like puzzles or reading can help keep your mind active.

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Skin Problems During cCRT Icon

Skin problems

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Ask your care team about gentle lotion or creams for dry or sensitive skin.

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Coughing During cCRT Icon

Coughing

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Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day to stay hydrated. This can sometimes help with coughing.

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Always talk to your care team about any changes you notice after starting treatment. They may have additional resources that can make you more comfortable throughout this experience.

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Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI® (durvalumab)?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. IMFINZI can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.

Call or see your healthcare provider right away if you develop any new or worsening signs or symptoms, including:

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called SCLC.

  • IMFINZI may be used alone when your LS-SCLC cannot be removed by surgery and has responded or stabilized after initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.
  • IMFINZI may be used with the chemotherapy medicines etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as your first treatment when your SCLC has spread within your lungs or to other parts of the body (extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, or ES-SCLC).

It is not known if IMFINZI is safe and effective in children.

  • SCLC Lung Problems Icon

    Lung problems: cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain

  • SCLC Intestinal Problems Icon

    Intestinal problems: diarrhea (loose stools) or more frequent bowel movements than usual; stools that are black, tarry, sticky, or have blood or mucus; and severe stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness

  • SCLC Liver Problems Icon

    Liver problems: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen), dark urine (tea colored), and bleeding or bruising more easily than normal

  • SCLC Hormone Gland Problems Icon

    Hormone gland problems: headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches; eye sensitivity to light; eye problems; rapid heartbeat; increased sweating; extreme tiredness; weight gain or weight loss; feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual; urinating more often than usual; hair loss; feeling cold; constipation; your voice gets deeper; dizziness or fainting; and changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness

  • SCLC Kidney Problems Icon

    Kidney problems: decrease in your amount of urine, blood in your urine, swelling of your ankles, and loss of appetite

  • SCLC Skin Problems Icon

    Skin problems: rash; itching; skin blistering or peeling; painful sores or ulcers in mouth or nose, throat, or genital area; fever or flu-like symptoms; and swollen lymph nodes

  • SCLC Pancreas Problems Icon

    Pancreas problems: pain in your upper stomach area (abdomen), severe nausea or vomiting, and loss of appetite

  • SCLC Other Organ Problems Icon

    Problems can also happen in other organs and tissues. These are not all of the signs and symptoms of immune system problems that can happen with IMFINZI. Call or see your healthcare provider right away for any new or worsening signs or symptoms, which may include: Chest pain, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath or swelling of ankles; confusion, sleepiness, memory problems, changes in mood or behavior, stiff neck, balance problems; tingling, numbness or weakness of the arms or legs; double vision, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, eye pain, changes in eye sight; persistent or severe muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps, joint pain, joint stiffness or swelling; and low red blood cells and bruising

  • SCLC Severe Infusion Reactions Icon

    Infusion reactions that can sometimes be severe or life-threatening. Signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include: chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, dizziness, feel like passing out, fever, and back or neck pain

  • SCLC Transplant Rejection Icon

    Rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue. Your healthcare provider should tell you what signs and symptoms you should report and monitor you depending on the type of organ or tissue transplant that you have had

  • SCLC Transplant Complications Icon

    Complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These complications can be serious and can lead to death. These complications may happen if you underwent transplantation either before or after being treated with IMFINZI. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for these complications

Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. Your healthcare provider will check you for these problems during your treatment with IMFINZI. Your healthcare provider may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. Your healthcare provider may also need to delay or completely stop treatment with IMFINZI if you have severe side effects

Before you receive IMFINZI, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have immune system problems such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus
  • have received an organ or tissue transplant, including corneal transplant
  • have received or plan to receive a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic)
  • have received radiation treatment to your chest area
  • have a condition that affects your nervous system, such as myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. IMFINZI can harm your unborn baby    

    • Females who are able to become pregnant:

    • Your healthcare provider will give you a pregnancy test before you start treatment with IMFINZI.
    • You should use an effective method of birth control during your treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of IMFINZI. Talk to your healthcare provider about birth control methods that you can use during this time.
    • Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with IMFINZI.
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if IMFINZI passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of IMFINZI.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

What are the possible side effects of IMFINZI?

IMFINZI can cause serious side effects (see above).

The most common side effects of IMFINZI when used alone in adults with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) include inflammation in the lungs and feeling tired or weak.

The most common side effects of IMFINZI when used with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin in adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) include nausea, feeling tired or weak, and hair loss.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of IMFINZI. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca productsReport side effects related to AstraZeneca products. If you prefer to report these to the FDA, either visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide for IMFINZI.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

  • IMFINZI may be used alone when your LS-SCLC cannot be removed by surgery and has responded or stabilized after initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy.
  • IMFINZI may be used with the chemotherapy medicines etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as your first treatment when your SCLC has spread within your lungs or to other parts of the body (extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, or ES-SCLC).

It is not known if IMFINZI is safe and effective in children.

Please see Full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide for IMFINZI.

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Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI® (durvalumab)?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. IMFINZI can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in...

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. IMFINZI can cause your immune system to...

Read full Important Safety Information

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of lung cancer called SCLC.

  • IMFINZI may be used alone when your LS-SCLC cannot be removed by surgery and has responded or stabilized after initial treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, given at the same time as radiation therapy...

United States flag iconThis product information is intended for US consumers only.

IMFINZI is a registered trademark and AstraZeneca Access 360 is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

©2025 AstraZeneca. All rights reserved. US-91740; US-106883 Last Updated 12/25

United States flag iconThis product information is intended for US consumers only.

IMFINZI is a registered trademark and AstraZeneca Access 360 is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

©2025 AstraZeneca. All rights reserved. US-91740; US-106883 Last Updated 12/25