Tisotumab Vedotin Infusion Process: Before, During and After Treatment

Tivdak (tisotumab vedotin-tftv) in India  

Starting a new cancer treatment can bring plenty of practical questions. What happens before the infusion? How long does it take? Are there any special preparations? And what should you do once the infusion is over?

With tisotumab vedotin, the infusion itself is only one part of the treatment visit. Particular attention is given to eye care before, during and after treatment because Tivdak carries a boxed warning for ocular adverse reactions. The current prescribing information, revised in November 2025, provides specific instructions for managing this process.

Here is what a typical treatment journey may involve.

Important: This article explains the treatment process described in the Tivdak prescribing information. It is not a guide for self-administering Tivdak or managing its required eye-care measures. Tivdak is administered by healthcare professionals, and the required eye examinations, eye drops, cold packs, dose adjustments and monitoring should be carried out or directed by the treating healthcare team. Patients should follow the specific instructions provided by their oncology and eye-care professionals rather than using this article to change or begin treatment on their own.

Before the Tisotumab Vedotin Infusion

Before treatment begins, your healthcare team will review your condition and check whether it is appropriate to proceed with the next dose. Eye health receives special attention.

An eye-care professional should perform an ophthalmic examination before starting treatment. The examination includes assessment of ocular symptoms, visual acuity, a slit-lamp examination of the anterior segment of the eye and assessment of normal eye movement.

Ophthalmic examinations should be performed before every cycle for the first nine cycles and as clinically indicated thereafter. Patients should also be referred to an eye-care professional promptly if new or worsening ocular signs or symptoms develop.

These requirements mean that treatment with Tivdak involves specific eye-care measures before, during, and after each infusion.

Eye Drops Are Part of the Treatment Plan

The eye-care routine does not begin after the infusion. It starts around the time of treatment and continues afterward.

Three types of eye drops are used as part of the recommended eye-care measures:

· Steroid eye drops: One drop is administered in each eye immediately before each infusion, followed by one drop in each eye three times daily for 72 hours after the infusion.

· Vasoconstrictor eye drops: These are administered immediately prior to each infusion.

· Lubricating eye drops: These are administered throughout treatment and for 30 days after the last dose.

Patients should avoid wearing contact lenses throughout treatment unless their healthcare provider advises otherwise. The prescribed eye drops should be brought to each infusion appointment and used exactly as directed by the treating team.

These eye-care measures are intended to reduce the risk of ocular adverse reactions associated with Tivdak.

What Happens During the Infusion?

Tisotumab vedotin is administered by intravenous infusion. It should not be administered as an intravenous push or bolus. The recommended dose is 2 mg/kg, up to a maximum of 200 mg for patients weighing 100 kg or more, administered as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every three weeks. Treatment is continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Another part of the infusion process is the use of cold packs. They are applied fully over the eyes following administration of the vasoconstrictor eye drops and changed as needed throughout the infusion to ensure that the eye area remains cold during the entire infusion.

The treatment team also confirms that the required steroid and vasoconstrictor eye drops have been administered before starting the infusion.

Tivdak is supplied as a 40 mg lyophilized powder in a single-dose vial for reconstitution for intravenous infusion. The vial is reconstituted and then further diluted for intravenous administration by trained healthcare professionals according to the prescribing information.

What Happens Immediately After the Infusion?

Finishing the IV infusion does not mean the eye-care routine is finished.

The steroid eye drops continue for the next 72 hours, while lubricating drops remain part of the eye-care routine throughout treatment. Patients should also remain alert for changes in their eyes between appointments.

New or worsening ocular signs or symptoms, including changes in vision, eye pain, irritation, redness, or discharge, should be reported promptly to the healthcare team. The prescribing information specifically recommends referral to an eye-care provider when new or worsening ocular symptoms occur.

This is important because ocular reactions can occur during treatment, and their severity can affect whether the next dose is given as planned.

What Happens Before the Next Cycle?

Tisotumab vedotin is normally scheduled every three weeks, but the next infusion is not automatically identical to the previous one.

Before each subsequent dose, the healthcare team assesses the patient's condition and any new or worsening adverse reactions to determine whether treatment can continue as planned. Depending on the type and severity of an adverse reaction, Tivdak may be temporarily withheld, resumed at a reduced dose, or permanently discontinued according to the dose-modification recommendations in the prescribing information.

For example, peripheral neuropathy may require treatment interruption or dose reduction, while certain severe ocular reactions may require permanent discontinuation. Hemorrhage, pneumonitis, and severe cutaneous adverse reactions can also require treatment interruption or permanent discontinuation, depending on their severity.

This means the schedule on paper should not be interpreted as a guarantee that every patient will receive the same number of infusions or remain on the same dose.

How Long Does Tisotumab Vedotin Treatment Continue?

There is no fixed number of infusions stated in the prescribing information for every patient. The recommended schedule is once every three weeks, with treatment continuing until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

In the innovaTV 301 study, the median duration of treatment with Tivdak was 3.7 months, with individual treatment durations ranging from 0.4 to 19 months.

Therefore, the actual number of infusions a person may receive can vary depending on disease progression, treatment tolerance, and whether adverse reactions require treatment to be modified or discontinued.

If You Are Arranging Tisotumab Vedotin for Treatment

For someone arranging access to Tisotumab vedotin, the vial is only one part of the treatment process. The medicine needs to reach the treating center in appropriate condition, while the clinical team also needs to be prepared for the infusion, required eye-care measures, and ongoing monitoring.

Tivdak is supplied as a 40 mg single-dose vial and should be stored refrigerated at 2°C to 8°C in the original carton to protect it from light. Do not freeze or shake the vial.

For patients or caregivers exploring access to tisotumab vedotin in India , it is therefore useful to consider the complete treatment pathway rather than focusing only on the product itself. Prescription requirements, appropriate sourcing, storage, documentation, and coordination with the treating hospital all form part of the process.

The Infusion in Context

A Tisotumab vedotin infusion involves more than a 30-minute IV administration. Eye examination before treatment, prescribed eye drops, cooling during the infusion, and continued eye care afterward are all important parts of the treatment process.

Before subsequent doses, the healthcare team assesses treatment response and any adverse reactions to determine whether treatment should continue, be dose-adjusted, temporarily withheld, or discontinued.

Understanding these steps can make the treatment process easier to anticipate and can help patients and caregivers prepare the questions they want to discuss with their oncology and eye-care teams.