Lapatinib is a medication that is used for treating HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is specifically prescribed for people who have not responded to other treatments. Lapatinib tablets, which are used in combination with another chemotherapy medicine, are generally taken once daily. Side effects may include vomiting, rash, and diarrhea.
Lapatinib (
Tykerb®) is a prescription medication used to treat
breast cancer. It is used in combination with
capecitabine (
Xeloda®), a chemotherapy medication. Unlike many cancer medications, both lapatinib and capecitabine are taken by mouth, not by IV (intravenously). It is used to treat a certain type of breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and has not responded to other treatments.
Lapatinib is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
Lapatinib belongs to a group of medications called
tyrosine kinase inhibitors. It works inside of cancer cells. Lapatinib binds to the inside of two types of receptors: epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal receptor type 2 (HER2). These two receptors are important for the growth of breast cancer and cells, and lapatinib (when used in combination with capecitabine) helps to slow down the growth of cancer cells.
In one study, lapatinib was added to capecitabine for treating breast cancer that had spread to other parts of the body. The people in this study had already tried other types of chemotherapy medications unsuccessfully. Those who took the combination of lapatinib plus capecitabine had a longer period of time before their cancer became worse (27.1 weeks on average, compared to 18.6 weeks for those taking just capecitabine).
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