TYKERB

Tykerb Information

Tykerb is a chemotherapeutical agent based on Lapatinib. It is available under the form of 250 mg film coated tablets, which also contain the inactive ingredients sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, povidone and microcrystalline cellulose.

Tykerb Indications

Tykerb is usually employed in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, in combination with Capecitabine (another chemotherapeutic agent), however this treatment is only applied in cases where the cancer did not respond to regular therapy. This medicine acts upon the cancer cells by hindering and even stopping their replication and growth.

There may be other uses for this medicine which are not listed in this information leaflet. If you are not suffering from breast cancer and you have received a prescription for this chemotherapeutic agent it is best that you consult with your health care professional in order to obtain more information on why you should start taking Tykerb.

Tykerb Warnings

You should not be prescribed a treatment with Tykerb before regular therapy courses have been attempted and no positive results have been obtained. Tykerb may not be prescribed or administered to pregnant patients. An effective contraceptive method should be employed for the entire duration of the therapy to prevent accidental pregnancy.

Tykerb should be used with caution in the case of patients suffering from heart or liver disorders as well as in the case of patients that have a medical record of Long QT syndrome. If you are suffering from any of the above medical conditions you should contact your personal health care professional for further details regarding the risks and benefits of the therapy.

Tykerb Intake Guidelines

You should only take Tykerb exactly as prescribed by your supervising health care specialist. He or she will provide with a set of detailed intake guidelines. Typically, you should take this drug once per day, orally, within one hour of a meal. You should avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice based products for the duration of the therapy, as they may increase the amount of medicine in your blood and alter the effects of your treatment.

Take Tykerb for the full duration of the therapy. You may not stop taking this medicine without your supervising physician’s consent – you may only discontinue the therapy when your health state has improved significantly or when dangerous levels of toxicity are recorded.

Periodic testing of your heart and liver functions as well as other types of monitoring will be required for the duration of your Tykerb therapy, in order to determine the effects of the treatment and to detect any possible side effects.

Tykerb Dosage

The regular Tykerb dosage is of 1.250 mg daily – the equivalent of 5 tablets. You may take the tablets one at a time, however you should take the full dose at the same time every day. In certain situations, your supervising health care specialist may direct you to use a different Tykerb dosage or a different intake schedule. In such cases you should follow your prescriber’s directions, disregarding the above information. If you have trouble remembering or understanding the dosage information, you should seek the advice of your personal health care professional.

Tykerb Overdose

In order to prevent an overdose with Tykerb, you are strongly advised to only take the daily recommended dosage for the recommended period of time. Never take larger quantities of this medicine per day, and stop taking this drug when your supervising health care professional advises you to do so. An overdose with this product may have severe, if not lethal consequences. Most cases of Tykerb overdose are characterized by vomiting and diarrhea.

Tykerb Missed Dose

You are advised to pay special attention to your medication schedule in order to avoid accidentally missing any of your Tykerb intakes. Setting up a strict intake schedule and taking the tablets at around the same time each day will help reduce the risk of forgetting to take your daily dose.

In the event that you happen to miss one of your Tykerb intakes you should take it as soon as you remember; however, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip taking the missed dose completely and resume your normal intake plan. You should never ingest a larger dose of this medicine in an attempt to make up for a missed dose.

Tykerb Side Effects

Tykerb may cause a number of side effects, most of which are generally transient and mild. Such adverse reactions are manifested through nausea and vomiting, mouth sores, upset stomach, skin dryness, mild rashes or sleeping disorders. Diarrhea is also commonly encountered, but only rarely becomes severe.

In some rare cases more severe side effects may occur. These need to be brought to the attention of the supervising health care specialist immediately: allergic reactions, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, jaundice, dark urine, arrhythmia or tachycardia, tiredness, swelling of the feet or ankles.

It is possible for side effects that are not listed here to occur as well. It is best that you inform your health care provider of any unexpected / bothersome signs or symptoms you may experience during your Tykerb treatment.

Tykerb Drug Reactions

Before starting a treatment with Tykerb, inform your prescriber of any other medication you are currently taking. This chemotherapeutic agent may interact with several drugs and medicines, including (but not limited to) Dexamethasone, Cimetidine, most azole antifungal agents (e.g. Itraconazole or Ketoconazole), Erythromycin, Clarithromycin and other macrolide antibiotics, Ritonavir and other HIV protease inhibitors, rifamycins (for example Rifabutin) and several seizure medication such as Carbamazepine or Phenytoin.