lapatinib
Lapatinib (Tykerb) is an oral medication used to treat certain types of breast cancer that has spread to other areas of the body (metastatic). This medication is only taken once a day, but it’s typically used together with another anticancer medication. Lapatinib (Tykerb) commonly causes diarrhea.
What is Lapatinib (Tykerb)?
What is Lapatinib (Tykerb) used for?
- HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer
- HR-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer
How Lapatinib (Tykerb) works
Lapatinib (Tykerb) is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). It works by blocking the action of specific proteins called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). HER2 and EGFR are both found on normal and cancer cells, and they play a role in cell growth.
In certain cancers, the cancer cells have more HER2 and EGFR proteins than normal cells. When these proteins are blocked by lapatinib (Tykerb), cancer cells can’t grow and spread as well.
Drug facts
Side effects of Lapatinib (Tykerb)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Diarrhea (up to 69%)
- Rash (up to 54%)
- Hand-foot syndrome (up to 53%)
- Nausea (up to 44%)
- Infection around the nails (up to 30%)
- Vomiting (up to 26%)
- Tiredness (up to 20%)
- Lowered appetite (up to 18%)
- Inflammation or reddening inside of the mouth (up to 17%)
*These side effects happened in people taking lapatinib (Tykerb) with other anticancer medications.
Less Common Side Effects
- Headache
- Feeling weak
- Dry or itchy skin
- Hair loss
- Trouble breathing
- Pain in arms, legs, back, or muscles
- Loss of appetite
- Inflammation of the digestive tract lining
- Nail changes
Lapatinib (Tykerb) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severe diarrhea
- Liver problems: yellowing of skin or whites of your eyes, dark-colored urine, right upper stomach pain or discomfort, itchy skin
- Severe skin reactions: blisters on the skin, peeling skin, red skin, rash that keeps getting worse
The following Lapatinib (Tykerb) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
difficult or labored breathing
itching, skin rash
loosening of the fingernails
nosebleed
redness or soreness around the fingernails
redness, swelling, or pain of the skin
scaling of the skin on the hands and feet
tightness in the chest
tingling of the hands and feet ulceration of the skin
unusual tiredness or weakness
Rare
decreased urine output
dilated neck veins
extreme tiredness or weakness
irregular breathing
irregular heartbeat
swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
Incidence not known
Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
chest discomfort
chills
clay-colored stools
dark urine
decreased appetite
difficulty with swallowing
dizziness
fainting
fast heartbeat
headache
irregular or slow heart rate
loss of appetite
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
red skin lesions, often with a purple center
red, irritated eyes
sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
stomach pain or tenderness
swelling of the feet or lower legs
vomiting
yellow eyes or skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Back pain
belching
cracked lips
diarrhea (mild)
difficulty in moving
discoloration of the fingernails or toenails
indigestion
lack or loss of strength
muscle pain or stiffness
pain in the arms or legs
stomach discomfort or upset
swelling or inflammation of the mouth
thinning of hair or hair loss
trouble sleeping
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Lapatinib (Tykerb)
Pros
- Available as pills that are swallowed once a day
- Available as a lower-cost generic
- A treatment option for some people who’ve tried other medications before that didn’t work
Cons
- Must take 5 or 6 pills all at once each day
- Not used alone to treat your breast cancer; typically taken with another anticancer medication
- Requires monitoring of your liver and heart health
Pharmacist tips for Lapatinib (Tykerb)
- Take lapatinib (Tykerb) at the same time every day. Take all the tablets at one time each day; don’t split them up over the course of a day.
- Take your lapatinib (Tykerb) dose at least 1 hour before or 1 hour after a meal. Food can affect how much medication gets absorbed into the body, which might affect how well it works or how safe it is for you.
- Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking lapatinib (Tykerb). Grapefruit can raise the medication levels in your body and lead to a higher risk of side effects from lapatinib (Tykerb).
- Make sure to stay hydrated as much as possible to avoid dehydration from possible diarrhea. During treatment, let your provider know if you get dehydrated (e.g., dry mouth, not urinating as much, lightheadedness, dizziness).
- Whether you're female or male, if you're taking lapatinib (Tykerb) and you or your partner can get pregnant, use birth control during treatment and for at least 1 week after your last dose. Lapatinib (Tykerb) might cause harm to an unborn baby. Contact your provider if you or your partner becomes pregnant during this time.
- It’s important to tell your provider and pharmacist about all the medications you take, including supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Certain medications can interact with lapatinib (Tykerb). Your provider can adjust your medication doses (including that of lapatinib (Tykerb)) or recommend safer alternatives.
- Ask your provider or pharmacist about the best way to handle and throw away lapatinib (Tykerb) safely. Cancer medications can be very harmful to people who handle or come into contact with them.
Common questions about Lapatinib (Tykerb)
No. Although there are many different types of breast cancer, lapatinib (Tykerb) is used to treat certain HER2-positive metastatic breast cancers. Your provider will perform a biopsy or surgery to help figure out the receptor type of your cancer. Knowing what type of receptor your cancer has will help them decide which treatment options to consider. Using lapatinib (Tykerb) also sometimes depends if you’ve tried other treatments for your cancer already. Discuss with your provider to see if lapatinib (Tykerb) is right for you.
It depends on your situation, so your care team will talk with you about how long you’ll need to take lapatinib (Tykerb). Typically, people take lapatinib (Tykerb) for as long as they’re seeing benefits from the medication (preventing the cancer from growing). But if you don’t tolerate the medication well, experience certain side effects like severe diarrhea, or your provider determines the medication is causing liver or heart problems, discuss with your care team about what this means and if you should continue taking lapatinib (Tykerb). Don’t stop taking lapatinib (Tykerb) without talking with your healthcare provider first.
If you experience diarrhea from lapatinib (Tykerb), you can help manage this side effect by watching what you eat and drink. Avoid spicy and greasy foods. Eating frequent, small, bland meals can also help, but it’s best to follow this eating pattern for short periods of time since it doesn’t provide enough nutrients for your overall health. Also make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, broth, or sports drinks each day. In addition, you can lower your risk of skin irritation around the anus by cleaning the area with warm water and letting it dry completely. Let your provider know if you develop diarrhea. They can recommend other ways to manage or treat your diarrhea, including with medications like loperamide (Imodium A-D).
Lapatinib (Tykerb) is not a chemotherapy medication. Chemotherapy is a class of medication that kills cancer cells in your body. Lapatinib (Tykerb) doesn’t kill cancer cells but instead slows or stops cancer cell growth.
Breastfeeding isn’t recommended while you’re taking lapatinib (Tykerb). We don’t know if the medication can pass into breast milk, but it could cause serious harm to nursing infants if it does. Because of this risk, you shouldn’t breastfeed during lapatinib (Tykerb) treatment and for 1 week after your last dose. Talk with your provider if you have any questions about breastfeeding or other ways to feed your baby while taking lapatinib (Tykerb).
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Risks and warnings for Lapatinib (Tykerb)
Lapatinib (Tykerb) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Liver problems
- Risk factors: Severe liver problems
Rarely, some people taking lapatinib (Tykerb) developed liver damage, which can be severe. Liver damage can happen within days or months of starting lapatinib (Tykerb). Your provider will track your liver health through lab work while you’re taking this medication. Let your provider know if you develop any symptoms of liver problems, including yellowing of the skin or whites of your eyes, dark urine, and pain or discomfort in the right upper stomach area.
Heart problems
- Risk factors: Low blood magnesium or potassium levels | Heart problems, including those affecting heart rhythm | Taking other medications that can affect your heartbeat or damage your heart
Lapatinib (Tykerb) can cause problems with your heart, such as a change in how well your heart pumps blood through your body or a change in your heartbeat. Your provider will check how well your heart is working while you’re taking this medication. They also might check your heart rhythm regularly if you’re also taking other medications that can affect your heartbeat. Tell your provider if you have trouble breathing or feel your heart pounding or racing, dizzy, lightheaded, or tired. These can be symptoms of heart problems. If they’re severe, you might need a lower dose of lapatinib (Tykerb), or you might need to stop treatment.
Diarrhea
Most people taking lapatinib (Tykerb) have diarrhea. Though severe cases aren’t common, some can be deadly. Diarrhea typically happens within the first week of starting lapatinib (Tykerb) and lasts about 5 days. If you start to have diarrhea or any changes in your bowel movement patterns, let your provider know immediately. They can recommend antidiarrheal medications like loperamide (Imodium A-D) if your diarrhea is mild. But if your diarrhea is severe, or if you have stomach cramping, nausea, or vomiting along with diarrhea, your provider will likely pause or stop your treatment.
Lung problems
Some people taking lapatinib (Tykerb) experienced lung problems like inflammation or scarring of the lungs. Contact your provider if you develop any new or worsening breathing problems like a cough that won’t go away or trouble breathing. Your provider might instruct you to stop taking lapatinib (Tykerb) while they figure out what is causing the problem.
Harm to unborn baby
Lapatinib (Tykerb) might cause harm to an unborn baby. If you’re a female who can get pregnant and you’re taking lapatinib (Tykerb), your provider might check to see if you’re pregnant before you start treatment. Make sure to use birth control while you’re receiving lapatinib (Tykerb) and for at least 1 week after your last dose. If you’re a male taking lapatinib (Tykerb) and your partner is able to become pregnant, you should also use birth control while you’re taking the medication and for at least 1 week after your last dose. Let your provider know right away if you or your partner becomes pregnant during this time.
Lapatinib (Tykerb) dosage
Tablet| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250mg | 120 tablets | $1,584.63 | $13.21 |
Typical dosage for Lapatinib (Tykerb)
Each tablet contains 250 mg of lapatinib.
-
HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: The typical dose is 5 tablets (total of 1,250 mg of lapatinib) taken by mouth at one time every day.
-
HR-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: The typical dose is 6 tablets (total of 1,500 mg of lapatinib) taken by mouth at one time every day.
Your dose might be different if you have liver problems.
Interactions between Lapatinib (Tykerb) and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Bepridil
- Cisapride
- Colchicine
- Dronedarone
- Fluconazole
- Mesoridazine
- Nelfinavir
- Pimozide
- Piperaquine
- Posaconazole
- Saquinavir
- Sparfloxacin
- Terfenadine
- Thioridazine
- Ziprasidone
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Abametapir
- Afatinib
- Alfuzosin
- Amiodarone
- Amisulpride
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Anagrelide
- Apomorphine
- Aripiprazole
- Aripiprazole Lauroxil
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Asenapine
- Astemizole
- Atazanavir
- Azithromycin
- Bedaquiline
- Berotralstat
- Betrixaban
- Boceprevir
- Buprenorphine
- Buserelin
- Capmatinib
- Carbamazepine
- Ceritinib
- Chloroquine
- Chlorpromazine
- Ciprofloxacin
- Citalopram
- Clarithromycin
- Clofazimine
- Clomipramine
- Clozapine
- Cobicistat
- Conivaptan
- Crizotinib
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Dabigatran Etexilate
- Dabrafenib
- Dasabuvir
- Dasatinib
- Degarelix
- Delamanid
- Desipramine
- Deslorelin
- Deutetrabenazine
- Dexamethasone
- Digoxin
- Disopyramide
- Dofetilide
- Dolasetron
- Domperidone
- Donepezil
- Droperidol
- Efavirenz
- Encorafenib
- Entrectinib
- Erythromycin
- Escitalopram
- Fingolimod
- Flecainide
- Fluoxetine
- Formoterol
- Foscarnet
- Fosnetupitant
- Fosphenytoin
- Fostemsavir
- Gatifloxacin
- Gemifloxacin
- Glasdegib
- Gonadorelin
- Goserelin
- Granisetron
- Halofantrine
- Haloperidol
- Histrelin
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Hydroxyzine
- Ibutilide
- Idelalisib
- Iloperidone
- Imipramine
- Indinavir
- Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
- Itraconazole
- Ivabradine
- Ivosidenib
- Ketoconazole
- Lasmiditan
- Lefamulin
- Lenvatinib
- Levofloxacin
- Lofexidine
- Lopinavir
- Lumefantrine
- Macimorelin
- Mefloquine
- Methadone
- Metronidazole
- Mifepristone
- Mirtazapine
- Moxifloxacin
- Nafarelin
- Nefazodone
- Netupitant
- Nilotinib
- Norfloxacin
- Nortriptyline
- Octreotide
- Ofloxacin
- Ondansetron
- Osilodrostat
- Osimertinib
- Oxaliplatin
- Ozanimod
- Paliperidone
- Panobinostat
- Pasireotide
- Pazopanib
- Pexidartinib
- Phenytoin
- Pimavanserin
- Pitolisant
- Ponesimod
- Procainamide
- Prochlorperazine
- Promethazine
- Propafenone
- Protriptyline
- Quetiapine
- Quinidine
- Quinine
- Ranolazine
- Relugolix
- Ribociclib
- Rifabutin
- Rifampin
- Rifapentine
- Rimegepant
- Ritonavir
- Selpercatinib
- Sertraline
- Sevoflurane
- Simeprevir
- Siponimod
- Sodium Phosphate
- Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
- Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
- Solifenacin
- Sorafenib
- Sotalol
- St John's Wort
- Sulpiride
- Sunitinib
- Tacrolimus
- Telaprevir
- Telavancin
- Telithromycin
- Tetrabenazine
- Topotecan
- Toremifene
- Trazodone
- Triclabendazole
- Trifluoperazine
- Trimipramine
- Triptorelin
- Ubrogepant
- Vandetanib
- Vardenafil
- Vemurafenib
- Venetoclax
- Vincristine
- Vincristine Sulfate Liposome
- Vinflunine
- Voclosporin
- Voriconazole
- Zuclopenthixol
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
How much does Lapatinib (Tykerb) cost?
$1,584.63
What are alternatives to Lapatinib (Tykerb)?
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