Erlotinib Krka
Erlotinib Krka is a medicine used to treat cancer by stopping a protein (EGFR) that helps cancer cells grow and spread.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
100 mg
Active Ingredient
Erlotinib hydrochloride
Manufacturer
KRKA d.d. Novo mesto
How to Use
Dosage
For lung cancer, the usual dose is one 150 mg tablet daily. For pancreatic cancer, the usual dose is one 100 mg tablet daily, taken with gemcitabine.
Method
Take the tablet at least one hour before or two hours after eating.
Important
Do not take more than 150 mg per day, or as your doctor prescribes.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Diarrhea
- •Vomiting
- •Eye irritation or inflammation
- •Skin rash (can get worse in sunlight)
- •Infection
- •Loss of appetite, weight loss
- •Feeling down (depression)
- •Headache, changes in skin feeling (numbness or tingling in arms/legs)
- •Trouble breathing, cough
- •Feeling sick (nausea)
- •Mouth irritation
- •Stomach pain, indigestion, gas
- •Abnormal liver blood test results
- •Itching
- •Tiredness, fever, chills
- •Dry skin
- •Hair loss
- •Nosebleeds
- •Bleeding from stomach or gut
- •Inflammation around fingernails
- •Hair follicle inflammation
- •Acne
- •Cracked skin
- •Reduced kidney function (when used with chemotherapy for non-approved uses)
RARE
- •Serious lung disease (Interstitial Lung Disease), which can be life-threatening.
- •Hole in the gut (gastrointestinal perforation)
- •Kidney inflammation (nephritis)
- •Too much protein in urine
- •Changes in eyelashes
- •Increased hair growth on body and face in men
- •Darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation)
- •Changes in eyebrows
- •Brittle and loose nails
- •Red or painful palms or soles (hand-foot syndrome)
- •Eye sores or holes in the clear front part of the eye (corneal ulcers or perforations)
- •Severe skin rash with blisters or peeling (like Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
- •Inflammation of the iris (colored part of the eye)
- •Liver inflammation (hepatitis), sometimes leading to liver failure and death.
Important Warnings
- Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to erlotinib or any of its ingredients.
- Contact your doctor right away if you have severe or ongoing diarrhea, as you might need hospital care.
- Tell your doctor immediately if you have sudden trouble breathing, cough, or fever.
- Erlotinib Krka can cause serious liver problems, sometimes fatal. Your doctor will check your liver function with blood tests.
- Inform your doctor if you experience severe stomach pain, or burning and peeling skin rashes.
Show 6 more warnings
- Seek immediate medical help if you develop sudden or worsening eye redness or pain, increased tearing, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light.
- If you are taking statins and experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, or cramps, tell your doctor.
- Avoid getting pregnant during treatment and for at least 2 weeks after the last dose. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for at least 2 weeks after the last dose.
- Stop smoking, as it can reduce how much medicine is in your blood.
- Do not take Erlotinib Krka with food.
- Tell your doctor about all other medicines you are taking, including those that might affect Erlotinib Krka (e.g., antifungals, certain antibiotics, antacids, blood thinners, cholesterol-lowering drugs).