This patient-friendly article is about chemotherapy drug, Lapatinib (Tyverb) which is a biological therapy for treatment of advanced breast cancer, sometimes used with capecitabine or trastuzumab (Herceptin). It is also used for other cancers.
It is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits two specific proteins working - ErbB1 (epidermal growth factor receptor) and ErbB2 (Her2). Lapatinib is taken in tablet form.
Side effects can include: diarrhoea, skin changes, tiredness, soreness and redness in the palms and soles, loss of appetite, indigestion, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting. Rarely there are heart or liver problems.
Go to: 10 ways to improve your chemotherapy success and reduce side-effects
Other articles that you may find interesting are:
- A diet for Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy overview
- A to Z Guide to Complementary Therapies
Go to: Return to the CANCERactive drug list