Registration Successful...
null you have successfully logged registered and logged in

IMFINZI FAQs

Get your questions about IMFINZI answered

To help answer some of the questions you may have about IMFINZI, bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) and gallbladder cancer, check out the frequently asked questions below. Remember, your doctor is the best resource for answering specific questions about your treatment.

About bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) and gallbladder cancer EXPAND ALLCLOSE ALL

What are bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) and gallbladder cancer?

Bile duct cancer and gallbladder cancer belong to a rare group of liver cancers that are called biliary tract cancers. They often don’t show symptoms in the early stages, and therefore, are typically diagnosed after they are locally advanced or have become metastatic.

About IMFINZI EXPAND ALLCLOSE ALL

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is an immunotherapy-based treatment used with chemotherapy* to treat locally advanced or metastatic bile duct cancer and gallbladder cancer.

What is an immunotherapy?

An immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that works with the immune system to find and attack cancer. IMFINZI may cause the immune system to attack healthy cells.

What is the difference between chemotherapy* and immunotherapy?

Chemotherapy* attacks all fast-growing cells, including cancer cells. Immunotherapy works with the immune system to find and attack cancer. IMFINZI may cause the immune system to attack healthy cells.

About treatment EXPAND ALLCLOSE ALL

How will I receive IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is an intravenous (IV) infusion that is given at your doctor’s office or an infusion center. You’ll receive IMFINZI in combination with chemotherapy.*

How long will I stay on IMFINZI?

Your doctor will decide how long you will receive IMFINZI and how many treatments you need. He or she will monitor you regularly for possible side effects.

What are the potential side effects of IMFINZI?

While on IMFINZI, you may experience side effects. This is because IMFINZI can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life-threatening and can lead to death.

IMFINZI may also cause serious side effects. They include:

  • Lung problems
  • Intestinal problems
  • Liver problems
  • Hormone gland problems
  • Kidney problems
  • Skin problems
  • Pancreas problems
  • Problems in other organs
  • Severe infusion reactions
  • Complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic)

The most common side effects of IMFINZI include:

  • Feeling tired
  • Nausea
  • Constipation
  • Decreased appetite
  • Stomach (abdominal) pain
  • Rash
  • Fever

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Find specialists in your area

Use this HealthgradesTM tool to easily find nearby specialists with experience in treating gallbladder and/or bile duct cancer.

AstraZeneca does not endorse or recommend any particular physician, and search results do not include a comprehensive list of doctors in your area.

Powered by

healthgrade-logo
Learn more about taking IMFINZI + chemotherapy*
Taking IMFINZI

*Gemcitabine and cisplatin.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI?

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.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer called biliary tract cancer (BTC), including cancer of the bile ducts (cholangiocarcinoma) and gallbladder cancer. IMFINZI may be used in combination with chemotherapy medicines gemcitabine and cisplatin when your BTC has spread to nearby tissues (locally advanced), or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).

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

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

  • Lung Problems Icon

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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Kidney Problems Icon

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

  • 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

  • Pancreas Problems Icon

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

  • Problems in Other Organs 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

  • Infusions 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

  • 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 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 with other anticancer medicines in people with BTC include feeling tired, nausea, constipation, decreased appetite, stomach (abdominal) pain, rash, and fever.

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 products.Report 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.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products.Report 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.

What is IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer called biliary tract cancer (BTC), including cancer of the bile ducts (cholangiocarcinoma) and gallbladder cancer. IMFINZI may be used in combination with chemotherapy medicines gemcitabine and cisplatin when your BTC has spread to nearby tissues (locally advanced), or has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).

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

Please see Full Prescribing Information including Medication Guide for IMFINZI.

What is IMFINZI?

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI?

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

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat...

Read full Important Safety Information

Important Safety Information

What is IMFINZI?

Minimize Expand

IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer called biliary tract cancer (BTC), including cancer of the bile ducts (cholangiocarcinoma) and gallbladder cancer. IMFINZI may be used...

What is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI?

IMFINZI is a medicine that may treat certain cancers by work...

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