Lenvatinib
Description
Lenvatinib is an anticancer agent used in the treatment of thyroid, liver and kidney cancer. Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. This medicine helps in controlling abnormal cell growth by stopping the multiplication of cancer cells, which eventually kills them. This medicine can be given separately or combined with other medicines as a part of your chemotherapy.
Lenvatinib can cause side effects like fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Most of them are temporary and get better with time. Consult your doctor if these side effects are bothering you or getting worse. Avoid driving vehicles and operating machines as this medicine can me you feel dizzy.
Lenvatinib can be taken with or without food, as instructed by your doctor. Your dose and duration of the therapy will be decided on the basis of your clinical condition. You should complete the whole treatment even if you feel better midway. It could take several weeks or months to see any benefits.
Lenvatinib is not recommended if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor about your current medicines and medical conditions before taking this medicine. This can help your doctor to adjust the dose and avoid side effects. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Lenvatinib
- Constipation
- Nosebleed
- Fast heartbeat
- Vomiting
- Coughing up blood
- Hair loss
- Bleeding gums
- Skin rash
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Yellow colored eyes or skin
- Stomach pain or tenderness
- Troubled breathing
- Loss of appetite
Uses of Lenvatinib
What is it prescribed for?
- Thyroid cancer
- Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Lenvatinib to show its action is not clinically established.
- Duration of effectLenvatinib can remain in your body for 7 days.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Lenvatinib.
- Usage in pregnancy?Lenvatinib is not recommended for use in pregnant women as it can harm your unborn child by resulting in birth defects. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping this medicine to understand all risks and benefits.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Due to the lack of safety information, Lenvatinib is not recommended for use while breastfeeding.
Allergy
Avoid taking Lenvatinib if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Lenvatinib is not recommended for use in pregnant women as it can harm your unborn child by resulting in birth defects. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping this medicine to understand all risks and benefits.
Breast-feeding
Due to the lack of safety information, Lenvatinib is not recommended for use while breastfeeding.
General warnings
Kidney impairment
Take Lenvatinib with caution if you have a kidney disorder due to poor elimination of this medicine, it can accumulate in your body and become toxic.
Liver impairment
Lenvatinib should be used with extreme caution in people with liver diseases as it can cause acute liver failure and other liver reactions such as hepatitis and increased liver enzymes. Liver function should be assessed before initiating the treatment. You can ask for dose adjustments or suitable alternatives if required.
Gastrointestinal diseases
Use of Lenvatinib is not recommended for use if you have gastrointestinal disorders (stomach and intestinal problems) like inflammatory bowel disorder (swelling of your intestine), colonic ulceration (open sores in your colon that is the tube that connects from your small intestine to anus), partial intestinal obstruction (blockage to the flow of food in your intestine), or any chronic intestinal disorder as those undigested carbohydrates can increase the severity and complication of digestive issues.
Hypocalcemia
Lenvatinib should be used with caution in people with hypocalcemia (low blood calcium levels) due to the increased risk of severe adverse effects. Your doctor will closely monitor your calcium levels and may adjust your dose if required.
Use in children
Lenvatinib is not recommended for use in children less than 18 years of age since the safety and efficacy of use are not clinically established.
Driving or operating machinery
Lenvatinib may cause blurred vision or dizziness in some people. It is advised that you do not perform any activities such as driving vehicles or operating machines if you experience any of these symptoms during treatment with this medicine.
Bleeding
Lenvatinib should be used with extreme caution if you have a bleeding disorder. This medicine can affect your blood vessels and blood pressure which can trigger or aggravate your bleeding disorder.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose of Lenvatinib as soon as you remember. If it is almost the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose of Lenvatinib.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Ondansetron
Fluconazole
Haloperidol
Amiodarone
Moxifloxacin
Disease interactions
Hypertension
Lenvatinib can affect your heart and blood vessels which can affect your blood pressure. Thus, take this medicine with caution if you have hypertension (high blood pressure).
Hypothyroidism
Lenvatinib should be used with caution in people with hypothyroidism (a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce sufficient levels of hormones) as it may further lower the thyroid hormone. Your doctor may adjust your dose according to your clinical condition.
Lung impairment
Lenvatinib should be used with extreme caution in people with pulmonary (lungs) dysfunction. The exact reason is not known but it is found to cause lung problems, which may arise due to its effects on the functioning of the heart. If required, ask for dose adjustments or another medicine.
Heart and blood vessel disorder
Lenvatinib should be used with extreme caution in people with cardiac diseases as this medicine is known to cause heart failures and affect the normal functioning of the heart. Cardiac function should be assessed before initiating the treatment. You can ask for dose adjustments or suitable alternatives if required.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Lenvatinib with or without food. Do not take more or less than the prescribed dose. Drink plenty of water with it to avoid stomach irritation.
Do not stop the use of this medicine without consulting your doctor, as it may worsen your condition. Your doctor may do request blood tests to monitor your blood cell count and other parameters.
Avoid driving vehicles or operating machines if you feel dizzy or drowsy after taking Lenvatinib.
Throw away unused medicine safely after the expiry date. Keep it away from children and pets.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Lenvatinib works by inhibiting the actions of certain abnormal proteins that cause the cancer cells to multiply. This helps in stopping the growth and spread of cancer.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Multikinase inhibitors, VEGF/VEGFR inhibitors
Schedule
Schedule H
Drugs, H., 2022. Lenvatinib: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: < [Accessed 1 April 2022].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2022. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 1 April 2022].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2022. DailyMed - LENVIMA- lenvatinib capsuleLENVIMA- lenvatinib kit. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 1 April 2022].
Medicines.org.uk. 2022. Kisplyx 10 mg hard capsules - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 1 April 2022].
Information on this page was last updated on 6 Jan 2023
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.