Tarceva 150mg Tablet is used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.
Tarceva 150mg Tablet should be taken on an empty stomach or should be taken one hour before or 2 hour after meal. You should continue to take it as long as your doctor advises it. The duration of treatment varies according to your needs and response to treatment. You should take it exactly as your doctor has advised. Taking it in the wrong way or taking too much can cause very serious side effects. It may take several weeks or months for you to see or feel the benefits but do not stop taking it unless your doctor tells you to.
The most common side effects of this medicine include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, rash, and weight loss. It may cause severe diarrhea, drink plenty of fluids or consult with your doctor if it bothers you. It makes you sensitive towards sunlight, hence wear protective clothing or use sunscreen while going out. In case you develop ulceration in mouth, changes in your vision, or breathing difficulties than it is better to inform the doctor. Your doctor may advise for regular monitoring of liver function while you are taking this medicine.
Many other medicines can affect, or be affected by, this medicine so let your healthcare team know all medications you are using. This medicine is not recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. The use of effective contraception by both males and females during treatment is important to avoid pregnancy. It is advised to quit smoking while taking this medicine as it can affect the working of the medicine. If you have to take an antacid or any other medicine, take it at a gap of at least 2 hours after taking the cancer medicine.
"There is a Patient Support Program / Patient Assistance Program available in India for this medicine, being managed by Tata 1mg. Please contact your prescribing doctor to know more about the same. You may also call on (1800-102-1618) for more details."
Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the major kinds of lung cancer and it affects both smokers as well as non-smokers. Tarceva 150mg Tablet helps treat non-small cell lung cancer and may be given alone or in combination with other medicines. It is a potent and very toxic medicine and you should discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. You should avoid drinking alcohol while having this treatment and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
In Pancreatic cancer
Pancreas are very essential for digestion of whatever you eat and also for metabolism of blood sugar levels as they produce the body’s natural insulin. This medicine will help to control pancreatic cancer, and will relieve the symptoms such as, lack of appetite or unexplained weight loss. Tarceva 150mg Tablet helps to stop the action of those chemicals that aid in pancreatic cancer growth and spread. It will help you live a longer and healthier life.
Side effects of Tarceva Tablet
Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them
Common side effects of Tarceva
Abdominal pain
Bone pain
Breathlessness
Constipation
Cough
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Fever
Infection
Muscle pain
Nausea
Rash
Stomatitis (Inflammation of the mouth)
Vomiting
Weight loss
How to use Tarceva Tablet
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Tarceva 150mg Tablet is to be taken empty stomach.
How Tarceva Tablet works
Tarceva 150mg Tablet is an anti-cancer medication. Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) are expressed on the lung cancer cell surfaces that modulate their growth. This medicine works by binding the chemical messenger, EGFR, hence, inhibits the cancer signaling pathways mediated by EGFR. This is how it restricts further growth of the cancer cells.
Safety advice
Alcohol
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
It is not known whether it is safe to consume alcohol with Tarceva 150mg Tablet. Please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Tarceva 150mg Tablet is unsafe to use during pregnancy as there is definite evidence of risk to the developing baby. However, the doctor may rarely prescribe it in some life-threatening situations if the benefits are more than the potential risks. Please consult your doctor.
Breast feeding
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
Tarceva 150mg Tablet is probably unsafe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug may pass into the breastmilk and harm the baby.
Driving
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
It is not known whether Tarceva 150mg Tablet alters the ability to drive. Do not drive if you experience any symptoms that affect your ability to concentrate and react.
Kidney
SAFE IF PRESCRIBED
Tarceva 150mg Tablet is safe to use in patients with kidney disease. No dose adjustment of Tarceva 150mg Tablet is recommended. Use of this medicine is not advised in patients with severe kidney disease.
Liver
CAUTION
Tarceva 150mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with liver disease. Dose adjustment of Tarceva 150mg Tablet may be needed. Please consult your doctor. Limited information is available on the use of Tarceva 150mg Tablet in these patients. No dose adjustment is recommended in patients with mild to moderate liver disease.
All substitutes
For informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.
Tarceva 150mg Tablet helps treat non-small cell lung cancer that is locally advanced, or has spread to other areas of the body.
It should be taken 1 hour before or 2 hours after the meal.
Diarrhea may occur as a side effect. Drink plenty of fluids and inform your doctor if it doesn't stop or if you find blood in your stools.
Use a reliable contraceptive method to prevent pregnancy while you are taking this medicine and for a month after you stop taking it.
It makes your skin sensitive towards sunlight. Apply sunscreen or wear protective clothing while going out.
It is advisable to avoid smoking while taking this medicine, as it makes the drug ineffective and requires dose adjustment.
Do not take it with medication lowering the stomach acid (such as antacids, H2 blockers including ranitidine), as it may affect the working of medicine.
Inform your doctor if you develop ulceration in your mouth, changes in your vision or if you experience a worsening cough, shortness of breath, or breathing difficulties while taking this medicine.
Your doctor may want you to have regular blood tests to monitor your liver function while you are having treatment with this medicine.
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or breastfeeding.
Fact Box
Chemical Class
Quinazoline Derivative
Habit Forming
No
Therapeutic Class
ANTI NEOPLASTICS
Action Class
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Patient concerns
What is the purpose of Chemotherepy given at the time of radiotherapy in ca lung small cell carcinoma
Dr. Vijay Sharnangat
Medical Oncology and Hematology
This is given to enhance the therapeutic effect of radiation therapy which is curative for small cell lung cancer.
I want to know the symptoms of cancer as I am a smoker
Dr. Vijay Sharnangat
Medical Oncology and Hematology
Symptoms for cancer depends upon which organ involved. For smokers , definitely chronic , they have possibility to develop lung cancer, head and neck cancers, oesophagus cancer, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer and so more on. General symptoms would be like loss of appetite, weight loss, low grade fever in some cases, chronic cough for long time.
I seem to have lung cancer , becoz all the symptoms are same as lung cancer. I test my blood, they suggests me that it is highly probable to lung cancer. Sir what can i do now. This is in preliminary stage
Dr. Sanjay Singh Rai
Medical Oncology and Hematology
Do you think that lung cancer is diagnosed from blood
Tarceva 150mg Tablet is a pill to be taken by mouth, once a day without food as prescribed by your doctor. It is important that you take Tarceva 150mg Tablet empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 house after meals. It is advisable to take it the same time each day so that you remember when to take it.
Is Tarceva 150mg Tablet a chemotherapy drug?
Tarceva 150mg Tablet is not a conventional chemotherapy medicine. Tarceva 150mg Tablet belongs to a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. It works by blocking the action of an abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This in turn helps to slow or stop the spread of cancer cells.
How long can I take Tarceva 150mg Tablet?
You need to take Tarceva 150mg Tablet every day, as long as your doctor prescribes it for you. The duration of treatment may vary from person to person.
Does smoking interfere with Tarceva 150mg Tablet?
Yes, smoking can interfere with the working of Tarceva 150mg Tablet. It can decrease the effectiveness of the medicine to a great extent. Hence, it is advised to stop smoking before you start Tarceva 150mg Tablet. Your doctor will need to adjust the dose of Tarceva 150mg Tablet, if you keep on smoking or there is a change in the pattern of smoking.
What should I do if I get a rash while taking Tarceva 150mg Tablet?
Rash is a common side effect of Tarceva 150mg Tablet but you should not stop taking Tarceva 150mg Tablet because of this. Consult your doctor who will suggest a treatment for it. Also, avoid sun-exposure, use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing.
When can I plan pregnancy, if I am taking Tarceva 150mg Tablet?
Avoid pregnancy while being treated with Tarceva 150mg Tablet. If you are a woman of child-bearing age use effective contraception during treatment. Avoid pregnancy for at least 1 month after taking the last tablet.
Does Tarceva 150mg Tablet affect eyes?
Tarceva 150mg Tablet commonly causes conjunctivitis and dry eyes. If you develop acute or worsening redness and pain in the eye, increased eye-watering, blurred vision and/or sensitivity to light, immediately inform the doctor as you may need urgent treatment.
When should I call my doctor during treatment with Tarceva 150mg Tablet?
Inform the doctor if you experience sudden difficulty in breathing associated with cough or fever, severe or ongoing diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Also, consult your doctor if you experience acute or worsening redness and pain in the eye, increased eye-watering, blurred vision and/or sensitivity to light. Let your doctor know in case you are taking a statin (medicine to control cholesterol) along with this medicine and experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, or cramps.
Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover everything about particular health conditions, lab tests, medicines, all possible side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, etc. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.
References
Chabner BA, Barnes J, Neal J, et al. Targeted Therapies: Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors, Monoclonal Antibodies, and Cytokines. In: Brunton LL, Chabner BA, Knollmann BC, editors. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 12th ed. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. pp. 1735-36.
Chu E, Sartorelli AC. Cancer Chemotherapy. In: Katzung BG, Masters SB, Trevor AJ, editors. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. New Delhi, India: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited; 2009. pp. 954-55.
Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 489-90.
Erlotinib. Seymour, Indiana: Schwarz Pharma Manufacturing; 2014 [revised May 2010]. [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019] (online) Available from:
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006. Erlotinib. [Updated 2018 Dec 3]. [Accessed 18 Feb. 2020] (online) Available from:
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