Lung cancer drug Afatinib: What you need to know

This is an automatically translated article.

Afatinib is a medicine to treat lung cancer. This is a specific medication, and the method of administration and dosage as well as the risk of side effects should be clearly communicated to the patient or caregiver. Therefore, mastering the information below will help the treatment become more convenient and effective.

1. What is Afatinib?

Afatinib is a medicine used to treat lung cancer.
Classification of lung cancer with indication for treatment with afatinib is metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with definite EGFR gene mutation (replacing exon 19 with exon 21).
The indication for the treatment of afatinib for this lung cancer has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

2. What is the mechanism of action of afatinib?

Afatinib is not a single chemotherapy drug, but one of a class of drugs with a mechanism called "targeted therapy". This is the result of many years of research to understand the difference between cancer cells and normal cells, in order to achieve more specialized treatment effects and limit side effects.
Accordingly, afatinib is formulated to suppress tumor cell growth in several ways. When taken by mouth, the drug blocks the activating sites (called tyrosine kinases) of certain proteins in cancer cells. These proteins are most likely to stimulate cancer growth when the tumor contains mutations in the EGFR gene. By blocking these targets, the tumor size will shrink.

3. How is Afatinib used?

Afatinib is available as a pill to be taken by mouth. Swallowing the afatinib tablet whole with at least 250 ml of water without crushing or dissolving the tablet will decrease its effectiveness.
When taking afatinib, it should be taken on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal with the exact dose prescribed. This dose has been evaluated by an oncologist and depends on many factors, including your general condition or other health problems, the type of cancer you have and how aggressive it is. At the same time, your doctor will also determine the exact dose of each drug in your entire treatment regimen with afatinib.
If you forget a dose and your next dose is less than 12 hours away, take your next dose at the usual time of day instead of taking another dose. In case your next dose is 12 hours or more, take the missed dose as soon as you remember and the next dose will be taken at the usual time. Never take more than 1 dose of afatinib on your own at a time. This is an overdose and needs to be reported to the doctor immediately.

Like other medicines, afatinib should be stored at room temperature in the bottle as provided by the manufacturer to protect from moisture, heat and direct light. Also, keep the medicine out of reach of children and pets.
In case the bottle of afatinid has expired or no longer needs to be used, it should be destroyed in accordance with the rules or returned to the competent medical staff.

4. Afatinib side effects

The most common side effects of afatinib, occurring in more than 30% of patients taking the drug, can be listed as follows:
Diarrhea Acne Mucosal ulceration, mouth Dry mouth Infection Fungal or bacterial nail infections Next are less common side effects, occurring in 10 to 29% of patients taking afatinib:
Decreased appetite Itching skin Weight loss Nose bleeds Cystitis Bladder infection Cheilitis Fever Hypokalemia Conjunctivitis Eye Rhinitis Rhinitis High liver enzymes

Finally, not all side effects of afatinib are listed. Therefore, it is important to let your doctor know when you have any unusual symptoms and seek medical attention immediately if you have the following signs:
Fever above 38°C Fever with chills Shortness of breath A lot of cough Chest pain Anxiety , palpitations In addition, even the common side effects, if they are severe, require hospitalization for medical intervention:
Repeated diarrhea (more than 4 to 6 times in a period of time) 24 hours) Nausea that makes you completely unable to eat or drink and is not relieved by conventional antiemetics Vomiting more than 4 to 5 times in 24 hours Unable to eat or drink for 24 hours or showing signs of dehydration such as fatigue, thirst, dry mouth, darkening of the skin, decreased urine output or dizziness, low blood pressure The skin or sclera of the eyes turns yellow Urine dark or brown like tea Bleeding or spontaneous bruising on the skin Pain or burning when urinating Eye inflammation with tearing, redness, pain, blurred vision and sensitivity to light Severe exhaustion , unable to perform self-care activities Swelling of ankles, feet, or legs Sudden weight gain

5. Notes when using afatinib

Before you start treatment with afatinib, you need to tell your doctor about any other medicines you are taking, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbal medicines, etc. While taking afatinib , do not get any vaccinations or take medications without your doctor's approval. Afatinib should be taken with a full glass of water. Wash your hands often and after taking each dose of afatinib. To reduce nausea, take an anti-nausea medication. Also, divide your food intake throughout the day into small meals with easily digestible foods. Limit direct sun exposure because while taking afatinib, your skin becomes very sensitive, prone to sunburn, rashes, or the appearance of acne. If you need to go outside when the sun is strong, you need to use sunscreen and wear a hat and clothing that covers your skin as much as possible.

You may be at increased risk of infection during treatment with afatinib. So try to avoid crowds or people with colds, fever or any other signs of infection. To help treat and prevent mouth ulcers while taking afatinib, use a soft toothbrush and rinse your mouth three times a day with 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 250 ml of cooked water. Avoid contact with sports or vigorous activity that could cause injury. You should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant before starting treatment with afatinib because it is contraindicated for women who are pregnant because of the potential hazard to the fetus. Also, for both men and women, active contraception with mechanical methods such as condoms should be used during therapy and for at least 2 weeks after treatment is completed. Talk to your doctor when you can safely initiate pregnancy. Never breast-feed while taking afatinib because it can pass into breast milk and be harmful to an infant or young child.

In summary, afatinib is a targeted drug for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. This mechanism helps to achieve a higher therapeutic effect of the drug, work more safely, although there are still certain side effects. Knowing the instructions for use above when taking afatinib will help you get the most out of it.

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