Precautions
Alectinib is approved to treat: Non-small cell lung cancer that is ALK positive and has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body). More About Alectinib. Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
What type of drug is alectinib?
Alectinib is a type of targeted cancer drug. It is a treatment for non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread. You can only have alectinib if you have a change (mutation) in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene. Your doctor sends tissue samples to check for this gene change. How alectinib works
How fast does alectinib work in ALK positive NSCLC?
Alectinib is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive, metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed on or are intolerant to crizotinib.This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response.
Is alectinib approved for ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer?
Apr 12, 2022 · Alectinib ( Alecensa) is a type of cancer medication used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in people who have an error in their anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene. This error is found in about 5 percent of people with NSCLC.
What are the possible adverse effects of alectinib?
Alectinib is a targeted therapy. It is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Tyrosine kinases are specific enzymes (a type of protein) that may signal cancer cells to grow. TKI's block these cell signals and by blocking the signals, they stop the growth of the cancer cells. TKI's are named based on the enzyme that they block.
Is alectinib a chemotherapy?
Alectinib is more effective than standard chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed on—or are intolerant to—crizotinib, according to a recent study.Apr 19, 2018
Is alectinib an ALK inhibitor?
Alectinib is an ALK inhibitor—a targeted therapy that blocks the activity of mutated ALK proteins. About 5% of NSCLC tumors are ALK positive.Dec 6, 2017
How long can you take alectinib?
by Drugs.com In the clinical trial ALEX: NCT02075840, the length of time Alecensa was taken ranged from months to over a year, with the median length of time being 18.6 months. Alecensa treatment usually continues until there is disease progression or the patient has unacceptable side effects.Feb 3, 2021
Can alectinib cure cancer?
ALECENSA was able to shrink the size of tumors in nearly 80% of people with ALK+ mNSCLC. At the first assessment, the IRC evaluated the ability of ALECENSA to shrink the size of tumors in people with ALK+ mNSCLC. It is important to know that a complete response does not mean the cancer has been cured.
Is alectinib a targeted therapy?
Alectinib is a targeted therapy. It is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Tyrosine kinases are specific enzymes (a type of protein) that may signal cancer cells to grow. TKI's block these cell signals and by blocking the signals, they stop the growth of the cancer cells.
What is another name for gefitinib?
Gefitinib is the generic name for the trade name drug Iressa®. In some cases, health care professionals may use the trade name Iressa ® when referring to the generic drug name gefitinib. Drug type: Iressa®is a targeted therapy.
How effective is Alectinib?
The efficacy of alectinib The pooled ORR of ALK+ NSCLC patients treated with alectinib is 70% (95% CI: 57% to 82%). Subgroup analysis showed that patients who never received ALKi treatment tend to have higher ORR than crizotinib-pretreated patients (87%, 95% CI: 81% to 92% vs 52%, 95% CI: 46% to 58%; Figure 2).Mar 1, 2018
Can I stop taking Alectinib?
If you experience side effects, your doctor may change your dose of ALECENSA. Your doctor may also temporarily stop or permanently stop treatment with ALECENSA to help manage side effects.
Does Alectinib cause weight gain?
A build up of fluid may cause swelling in your arms, hands, ankles, legs, face and other parts of the body. Contact your doctor if this happens to you. You may gain weight while having this treatment. You may be able to control it with diet and exercise.Mar 11, 2020
Can ALK lung cancer be cured?
Stage IV is the most advanced form; meaning the disease has spread to distant parts of your body, such as your bones or brain. Stage IV is very hard to cure, if not impossible, for ALK-positive lung cancer at this time.
How long can you live with ALK lung cancer?
Survival rates for ALK-positive lung cancer are slightly better than those for non-small cell lung cancer overall. The aforementioned 2018 study found that people with late-stage ALK-positive disease live for an average of nearly 7 years.Jan 26, 2021
Can Alecensa cure lung cancer?
The updated results from the ALEX clinical trial (NCT02075840) shows that alectinib (Alecensa) is very effective at treating ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (ALK-positive NSLC cancer), as it significantly prolonged the median progression-free survival to 34.8 months compared to 10.9 months for crizotinib.Feb 10, 2021
How alectinib works
Alectinib is a type of cancer growth blocker called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking certain chemical messengers that tell cells to grow. This stops or slows down the cancer.
How you have alectinib
Alectinib is a capsule that you take twice a day. You swallow it whole with a glass of water. You must take alectinib with food.
Taking your tablets
You must take tablets according to the instructions your doctor or pharmacist gives you.
When you have alectinib
You usually take alectinib for as long as it is working and the side effects aren’t too bad.
Tests
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Side effects
We haven't listed all the side effects. It is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects, but you might have some of them at the same time.
Common side effects
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
What is alectinib used for?
Alectinib is a tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor and antineoplastic agent used in the therapy of selected forms of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Alectinib is associated with a moderate rate of transient elevations in serum aminotransferase levels during therapy and with rare instances of clinically apparent acute liver injury.
What is Alectinib inhibitor?
Alectinib is an orally available inhibitor of the receptor tyrosine kinase anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) with antineoplastic activity.
What are the side effects of alectinib?
The most common adverse reactions (>5%) associated with alectinib use were fatigue, constipation, edema, and myalgia. Less common effects associated with use were hepatotoxicity, interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis, bradycardia, severe myalgia and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation, and embryo-fetal toxicity.
What is the metabolite of alectinib?
Alectinib is metabolized by CYP3A4 to its major active metabolite M4. M4 is then further metabolized by CYP3A4. Both alectinib and M4 demonstrate similar in vivo and in vitro activity. In vitro studies suggest that alectinib is not a substrate for P-gp while M4 is.
What is the role of ALK in tumors?
ALK belongs to the insulin receptor superfamily and plays an important role in nervous system development. ALK dysregulation and gene rearrangements are associated with a series of tumors.
How long does alectinib stay in milk?
Because alectinib is more than 99% bound to plasma proteins, the amount in milk is likely to be low. However, its half-life is about 33 hours and it might accumulate in the infant. The manufacturer recommends that breastfeeding be discontinued during alectinib therapy and for 1 week after the last dose. PubMed.
Is Alecensa monotherapy or a combination?
Alecensa as monotherapy is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Alecensa as monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with ALK‑positive advanced NSCLC previously treated with crizotinib.
How is alectinib given?
How Alectinib Is Given. Alectinib is a capsule, taken by mouth. Take this medication with food. Swallow alectinib capsules whole. Do not open, crush or dissolve the capsules. Do not change your dose or stop alectinib unless your health care provider tells you to.
What is Alectinib used for?
What Alectinib Is Used For. For the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that is caused by a defect in a gene called ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) who have progress or are intolerant to crizotinib. The cancer must be ALK-positive as indicated by an FDA-approved test.
What is the target of antiangiogenesis inhibitors?
Antiangiogenesis inhibitors target the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the cells, ultimately causing the cells to starve . Alectinib is a targeted therapy. It is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Tyrosine kinases are specific enzymes (a type of protein) that may signal cancer cells to grow.
What is the trade name for Alecensa?
Trade Name: Alecensa®. Alectinib is the generic name for the trade name drug Alecensa®. In some cases, health care professionals may use the trade name Alecensa® when referring to the generic drug name alectinib. Drug Type: Alectinib is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic") targeted therapy. It is classified as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor ALK ...
Can you take alectinib if you missed it?
Do not take an extra dose to make up for a missed dose. If you take too much alectinib, call your health care provider right away and go to the emergency room. Do not repeat a vomited dose. Let your doctor know if you are starting any new medications as some medications interact with alectinib.
Does alectinib need to be checked?
Monitoring and Testing While Taking Alectinib. You will be checked regularly by your doctor while you are taking alectinib to monitor side effects and check your response to therapy . Periodic blood work will be obtained to monitor your complete blood count (CBC), as well as organ function.
