• All About INTRON® A
  • What Is INTRON® A?
  • Why INTRON® A?
  • Getting Started
  • Treatment with INTRON® A
  • Managing Side Effects
• Understanding Your Condition
  • Malignant Melanoma
  • Skin Basics
  • What Is Cancer?
  • Types of Skin Cancer
  • Focus on Melanoma
• Give and Get Support
  • For People Living with Melanoma
  • For People Who Care
• Professional Resources
  • Indications
  • Why INTRON® A
  • Managing Therapy
  • Patient Support
  • Professional Resources
  • Contact Information

Other Possible Effects

Temporary, manageable

Sometimes, treatment with INTRON® A may cause any of the following side effects. Usually, these effects end when treatment is over. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the following side effects.

Hair Thinning

Sometimes, hair may thin or fall out during treatment with INTRON® A. The medical term for this is alopecia. Hair loss may get worse as treatment continues, but hair will generally grow back after treatment is over. Permanent baldness is very rare. Here are some tips for managing thinning hair:

• Wear hair in a short, loose style (think about cutting hair short at the start of treatment)
• Use mild shampoos (such as baby shampoo), a soft brush, and conditioners to prevent pulling and tangling
• Shampoo only once a week and pat hair dry with a soft towel
• Be gentle with brushes and combs
• Sleep on a satin pillowcase to decrease rubbing and pulling on hair and scalp
• Talk to your hairdresser or barber about ways to protect your hair and scalp
• For women: consider a wig, turbans, scarves, or hats
• For men: consider shaving your head
• Avoid anything that pulls on your hair (ponytail styles, tight hair bands, tight caps, hot rollers)
• Do not tease, braid, or corn row hair
• Avoid harsh treatments such as hair dryers, curling irons, electric rollers, and chemicals found in permanents, bleaches, or other hair coloring

Injection site reactions

Sometimes, you may have skin reactions or discomfort around the place or site of your injections. This may include redness, dryness, itching, or a rash in the immediate area. Discuss with your doctor if you experience any of these reactions.

You may be able to avoid these problems by moving your injection site to a different spot each time. You can also try a cool or warm compress on the injection site before or after the injection. See what feels best to you. Be sure to talk to your health care team about what are the correct places on your body to inject INTRON® A.

Anemia and other blood conditions

Your doctor will conduct regular lab tests to watch for possible changes in blood cell counts or in the way your liver works. Most of these changes are temporary and will stop when you finish INTRON® A treatment. Your health care provider will check your blood counts (white blood cell [WBC] and differential counts) each week during the first 4 weeks of treatment (induction) and once a month during the next 48 weeks (maintenance). Blood tests show if anemia (too few or damaged red blood cells) or damage to white blood cells or other types of blood cells is present. If you have any questions about this, ask a member of your health care team.

For a complete list of side effects, please see the INTRON® A Prescribing Information (PDF) or Medication Guide (PDF).