Lapatinib 250mg

Lapatinib 250 mg is an anti-cancer drug that prevents the growth of tyrosine-kinase. It is used for the treatment of breast cancer in women. It is prescribed in combination with Capecitabine for the treatment of disseminated and/or metastatic breast cancer (if the prior treatment with anthracyclines, taxanes and trastuzumab wasn’t successful). In case of hormone-sensitive breast cancer, Lapatinib can be used together with aromatase inhibitor (letrozol), as this combination enhances the survival rate and reduces the risk of disease progression in future. Clinical trials have shown that Lapatinib 250 mg increases the quality and the life expectancy of the patients.

Way of use

The drug Lapatinib 250 mg is taken orally. You should take Lapatinib 250 mg once a day. Don’t reduce the intervals between the drug intakes. If you missed the dose, just wait for the next intake.
The dosage depends on the disease. For the patients with disseminated and/or metastatic breast tumor it is 1250 mg together with 2000 mg of Capecitabine, and for the treatment of hormone-sensitive cancer – 1500 mg a day together with 2.5 mg of aromatase inhibitor.

Effectiveness of use

Effectiveness and security of Lapatinib 250 mg have been in several large-scale randomized clinical trials. Statistics show that the complex therapy with the use of Lapatinib increases the time span before the progression of tumor. Moreover, it significantly reduces the likelihood of its growth. In general, such drug effect improves the projection of disease and reduces the lethality factor in patients.

Contraindications

allergic reactions to Lapatinib and any other components of Lapatinib 250 mg;
pregnancy;
lactation;
age to 18 years

Side effects

loss of appetite;
shortness of breath;
symptoms of heart failure;
increased heartbeat;
gastrointestinal disorders;
sickness, sometimes vomiting;
skin rash, often in the form of acneiform eruptions;
nail bed lesions;
dry skin;
overall weakness;
dyspepsia;
nasal bleeding;
hair loss.

Interaction with the other drugs

Lapatinib 250 mg should be combined with CYP3A4 metabolites under close medical supervision. Besides, the treatment with Lapatinib 250 mg alongside with the use of pharmaceutical products that belong to the sub-category of CYP2C8 substrates requires the supervision of a doctor. Moreover, if you mix Lapatinib 250 mg with Paclitaxel, Irinotecan and Docexatel, you should control the concentration of these compounds in the patient’s blood.