Lapatinib-associated toxicity and practical management recommendations.
Lapatinib is an oral receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibiting both the ErbB-1 and ErbB-2 receptors. Lapatinib has been shown to have activity in ErbB-2-overexpressing breast cancer in several phase II and III clinical trials. Specifically, lapatinib is effective in patients with metastatic breast cancer, with inflammatory breast cancer, and possibly, with brain metastases. An ongoing clinical trial and another anticipated clinical trial will investigate lapatinib as adjuvant treatment in early-stage disease. Lapatinib has specific toxicities, the most common being diarrhea and rash. Cardiac toxicity is rarely seen with lapatinib. This paper reviews lapatinib-associated toxicities and provides practical management recommendations based on available data.
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Gillette Center for Women's Cancers, Lawrence House, LRH 304, Boston, MA 02114, USA. bmoy@partners.org
Beverly
B
Moy
Paul E
PE
Goss
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077341:Lapatinib; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077341:Lapatinib; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases