Osimertinib
Description
Osimertinib is an anticancer medicine. It is used in the treatment of lung cancer. This medicine works by binding to certain receptors (proteins) in the tumours of your lung and slows/stops the growth of your cancer.
Osimertinib may cause some common side effects such as diarrhoea, low blood cell count, nose bleed, skin rash, hair loss, mouth ulcers, etc. Consult your doctor if these symptoms persist or if they become severe.
Osimertinib should be taken exactly as advised by your doctor. Take it at the same time every day to maintain a constant level of this medicine in your body.
Osimertinib should be avoided if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor if you have heart, lung, or eye problems and all the medicines you are currently taking before starting the treatment. This medicine is not recommended in children and adolescents below 18 years of age. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or are breastfeeding.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Osimertinib
- Diarrhoea
- Decrease in white blood cells and platelets
- Mouth ulcers
- Skin and nail problems (pain, itching, dry skin, rash, redness around the fingernails)
- Increase in serum creatinine
- Nose bleed
- Hair loss or thinning of the hair
- Skin rash
Uses of Osimertinib
What is it prescribed for?
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionOsimertinib starts showing its action after three hours of taking it.
- Duration of effectOsimertinib may remain active in your body for an approximate duration of 2 days after taking it.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendency has been reported with Osimertinib.
- Usage in pregnancy?Osimertinib is not recommended if you are pregnant as it may affect your developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, or are planning a pregnancy.
- Usage while breast-feeding?It is not known whether Osimertinib passes into breast milk. Hence, it is not recommended while breastfeeding. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Allergy
Avoid taking Osimertinib if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of allergic reactions such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort is used in the treatment of depression. This medicine may decrease the effectiveness of Osimertinib in the treatment of cancer when taken together. Hence the use of St. John's Wort is not recommended while on treatment with Osimertinib.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Osimertinib is not recommended if you are pregnant as it may affect your developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, or are planning a pregnancy.
Breast-feeding
It is not known whether Osimertinib passes into breast milk. Hence, it is not recommended while breastfeeding. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
General warnings
Skin and nail problems
Osimertinib may cause skin and nail problems. Symptoms may include pain, itching, dryness of the skin, rash, and redness around the fingernails. Avoid exposure to sunlight as it may increase your risk of this condition. Regular use of moisturizers and sunscreen is recommended. Inform your doctor if you experience any worsening of your symptoms.
Low blood cell count
Osimertinib may cause a decrease in platelets and white blood cell count. Periodic monitoring of your blood cell count is recommended.
Hand-foot syndrome
Osimertinib may cause hand-foot syndrome as a side effect. It is a condition in which there is redness, swelling, pain, tingling/burning sensation with cracking of the skin on the palms of the hands and/or the soles of the feet. Regular use of moisturizers/creams/lotions is recommended. Additionally, your doctor may prescribe topical pain-relieving medicine to help relieve the pain.
Driving or operating a machine
Osimertinib is not known to affect your ability to drive or operate machines. However, avoid these activities until you completely know how this medicine affects you.
Use in children
Use of Osimertinib in children and adolescents below 18 years of age is not recommended due to a lack of safety and efficacy data.
Elderly
Osimertinib should be used carefully in elderly people due to the higher incidence of side effects.
Missed Dose
Try not to skip a dose of Osimertinib. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one. Do not double the dose to compensate for a missed one.
Overdose
Do not take excess dose than prescribed by your doctor. Contact your doctor in case of an overdose with Osimertinib.
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
Phenytoin
Carbamazepine
Itraconazole
Chloramphenicol
Disease interactions
Interstitial lung disease
Interstitial lung disease is a group of lung problems that cause progressive scarring of lung tissue. The scarring causes lung stiffness and makes it difficult to breathe, resulting in breathing problems. Osimertinib may worsen your lung damage and hence is not recommended if you have this condition.
Cardiomyopathy
Osimertinib may increase your risk of cardiomyopathy, a progressive condition in which your heart muscle weakens and is unable to pump blood properly. This risk is especially higher if you have any pre-existing heart problems. Assessment of heart function by an echocardiogram (ECG) scan before initiation of treatment with Osimertinib and then at 3-month intervals while on treatment is recommended.
Ocular Toxicities
Osimertinib should be used with caution if you have a history of keratitis (swelling of the cornea, the clear tissue on the front of your eye), conjunctivitis (swelling of conjunctiva, the clear tissue covering the white part of your eye and lines the inside of the eyelid) as it may worsen your condition.
QT Prolongation
Osimertinib may increase your risk of QT Prolongation, a condition with an abnormal heart rhythm. This risk is especially higher if you have any pre-existing heart problems. Periodic monitoring of your ECGs and electrolytes is recommended while on treatment with this medicine.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Osimertinib with or without food. Do not take more or less than the prescribed dose.
Do not stop the use of this medicine without consulting your doctor as it may worsen your condition.
Do not drive or operate machines if you experience any symptoms that may affect your alertness after taking Osimertinib.
Anti-cancer medicines are usually very strong and can have many side effects.
Discuss with your doctor to understand all the benefits and risks before starting the treatment.
Consult your doctor if any side effects appear or if they become severe.
Osimertinib may affect platelets and white blood cell count, therefore close monitoring of your blood cell count is required.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Osimertinib works by blocking epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and helps to slow or stop the growth of your lung cancer. It also reduces the size of your tumour and prevents it from growing back after removal by surgery.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Anticancer drug, Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Schedule
Schedule H
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. TAGRISSO 80 mg film-coated tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 21 September 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 21 September 2021].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 21 September 2021].
Astrazeneca.ca. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 21 September 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 14 Oct 2021
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.