Uses of Lenvatinib

Lenvatinib is used on its own to treat locally recurrent/metastatic thyroid cancer in adults when radioactive iodine treatment becomes insufficient to stop the disease. It is also used on its own to treat liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) when it becomes unresectable in adult patients. It is also used together with pembrolizumab (anticancer medicine) to treat endometrial carcinoma when cancer has spread and cannot be treated by surgery/radiation treatment. The medicine is also indicated for use in combination with everolimus (anticancer medicine) to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) in adults prior to anti-angiogenic therapy (cancer therapy).

Therapeutic Category

Lenvatinib: Antineoplastic agents (Kinase inhibitor)

How Lenvatinib works

Lenvatinib works by inhibiting the action of receptor tyrosine kinases (proteins responsible for development of new blood vessels) which leads to poor oxygen and nutrient supply to the cancer cell resulting in its destruction thus treating cancer in affected individuals.

Common side effects of Lenvatinib

• High/low blood pressure
• Muscle pain, feeling unwell with body pain
• Dizziness, tiredness, weakness
• Bleeding (most commonly nose bleeds)
• Signs of blood clots in the lungs such as difficulty breathing, chest pain
• Signs of decreased red blood cells such as weakness, dizziness, chest pain
• Pounding/racing heartbeat
• Reduced appetite/weight loss
• Nausea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, diarrhoea, indigestion
• Hoarse voice
• Swelling of the legs
• Rash
• Dry/sore/inflamed mouth
• Loss of proper taste sensation
• Joint pain, back pain
• Headache, hair loss
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Signs of palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (hand-foot syndrome) such as swelling, redness and soreness of skin on hands and feet
• Signs of underactive thyroid such as weight gain, tiredness, constipation, dry skin, feeling cold
• Signs of decreased count of white blood cells such as body aches, chills, fever and headaches
• Signs of reduced platelets count such as bruising and delayed wound healing
• Signs of increased amylase and lipase levels in blood such as ulcer, pancreatitis (inflammation of pancreas)
• Dehydration
• Dry skin, itching and thickening of the skin
• Feeling bloated or having excess wind
• Signs of liver failure such as dizziness, loss of sleep, confusion, decreased concentration, loss of consciousness
• Inflammation of the gallbladder
• Signs of stroke such as feeling numb or weak on one side of your body, severe headache, seizure, confusion, difficulty talking, vision changes or feeling dizzy
• Anal fistula (a small channel between the anus and surrounding skin)
• Signs of urinary infections such as increased frequency in urination and pain in passing urine

When to consult your doctor

Consult your doctor if you experience:

• In case of accidental overdose or poisoning
  

Health Tips for Lenvatinib

• Avoid driving while taking Lenvatinib as it can cause dizziness