Drug Receives New Indication for Pediatric Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) has received a new indication for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease in pediatric patients at least one year of age when one or more systemic therapies have failed.The product's labeling warns of the risk of hemorrhage, infections, cardiac arrythmias, cardiac failure and sudden death, hypertension, cytopenia, secondary primary malignancies, tumor lysis syndrome, and embryo-fetal toxicity.The most common adverse effects include laboratory abnormalities, musculoskeletal pain, pyrexia, pneumonia, abdominal pain, stomatitis, diarrhea, and headache. Nurses should carefully assess for these adverse effects and provide appropriate education regarding their prevention.