Crizotinib
Generic name: crizotinib
Brand name: Xalkori
Dosage form: oral capsule
Drug class:Multikinase inhibitors
What is crizotinib?
Crizotinib is a type of cancer drug called a kinase inhibitor that is used to treat two rare forms of cancer.
Crizotinib is used to treat a type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in people with an error in genes called ROS1 or ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase). An ROS1 error occurs in about 1 percent of people with NSCLC, while and ALK error occurs in about 5 percent of cases.
Defects in ROS1 and ALK cause cells to grow out of control causing cancer. Crizotinib works to help stop or slow the growth of cancer. It does this by blocking the action of ROS1 and ALK. It is known as a ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor and an ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
When Crizotinib was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011, it was the first therapy to be approved for patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC.
Crizotinib is also used to treat a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in children and young adults called anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) that has a defect in the ALK gene. About 90 percent of cases of ALCL in young people are ALK-positive.
What is crizotinib used for?
Crizotinib is a prescription medicine that is used to treat:
- people with NSCLC that has spread to other parts of the body and is caused by a defect in either a gene called ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) or a gene called ROS1.
- children 1 year of age and older and young adults when your ALCL with a defect in a gene called ALK has returned, or you have tried a treatment and it did not work or is no longer working.
It is not known if crizotinib is safe and effective in children under 12 months of age or in older adults with ALCL.
Important information
Crizotinib may cause serious side effects, including:
- Liver problems. Crizotinib may cause life-threatening liver injury that may lead to death. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your liver every 2 weeks during the first 2 months of treatment with crizotinib, then once a month and as recommended by your healthcare provider during treatment. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop any of the following new or worsening symptoms:
- yellowing of your skin or the white part of your eyes
- severe tiredness
- dark or brown (tea color) urine
- nausea or vomiting
- decreased appetite
- pain on the right side of your stomach
- bleed or bruise more easily than normal
- itching
- Lung problems (pneumonitis). Crizotinib may cause life-threatening lung problems that may lead to death. Symptoms may be similar to those symptoms from lung cancer. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new or worsening symptoms, including:
- trouble breathing or shortness of breath
- cough with or without mucous
- fever
- Heart problems. Crizotinib may cause very sl.
