Side effects, uses, use with other drugs, and more

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Tarceva to treat certain conditions. Tarceva may also be used off-label for other conditions. Off-label drug use is when an FDA-approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.

Tarceva for non-small cell lung cancer

Tarceva is FDA-approved to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults whose cancer is both:

Before prescribing Tarceva, your doctor will order tests to check for EGFR gene mutations. Tarceva is approved to treat metastatic NSCLC with certain mutations. These are called exon 19 deletion or exon 21 substitution (also called an L858R point mutation).

For this use, Tarceva can be prescribed as a first-time treatment or a maintenance (long-term) treatment. It’s also used as a second or later treatment for cancer that’s progressed (worsened) after treatment with chemotherapy.

Limitations of use

Tarceva has limitations of use. Tarceva treatment is not recommended with chemotherapy drugs that contain platinum. Examples include carboplatin and cisplatin.

Also, it’s unknown if Tarceva is safe or effective for people whose cancer has gene mutations other than those described above.

Note: Tarceva is not a chemotherapy drug. It’s considered to be a targeted therapy. For additional information, see the “How Tarceva works” section below.

Non-small cell lung cancer explained

Genes are made up of DNA, and they provide instructions for our bodies to make proteins. EGFR is a protein that helps cells grow and multiply (produce more cells). If gene mutations occur, EGFR may function abnormally. This can cause cells to grow and multiply faster than usual. This may lead to certain types of cancer, including NSCLC.

Symptoms of NSCLC may include:

EGFR mutations and NSCLC may occur in people who smoke and in those who have never smoked. If you smoke, your doctor will recommend you quit. This is because quitting can help ease certain symptoms of lung cancer.

If you quit smoking during Tarceva treatment, be sure to talk with your doctor. They’ll likely adjust your dosage. (For additional information, see the “Tarceva dosage” and “Tarceva precautions” sections below.)

To learn more about treating lung cancer, refer to Medical News Today’s lung cancer hub.

Effectiveness for non-small cell lung cancer

Tarceva is effective for treating the type of NSCLC described above. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network includes Tarceva as an option in their treatment guidelines for metastatic NSCLC.

To learn more about how Tarceva performed in clinical trials, see the drug’s prescribing information. And if you have questions about whether Tarceva is right for you, talk with your doctor.

Tarceva for pancreatic cancer

Tarceva is also FDA-approved to treat advanced-stage pancreatic cancer in adults whose cancer is:

For this use, Tarceva is taken with the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine (Gemzar, Infugem). This drug combination is prescribed to adults who haven’t had chemotherapy for their pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer explained

Pancreatic cancer occurs when cells in the pancreas grow and multiply (produce more cells) faster than usual. Pancreatic cancer typically doesn’t cause symptoms until it spreads and becomes more advanced.

Symptoms of pancreatic cancer may include:

To read more about cancer, you can refer to Medical News Today’s cancer hub.

Effectiveness for pancreatic cancer

Tarceva is effective for treating the type of pancreatic cancer described above. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends treating pancreatic cancer with erlotinib (the active ingredient in Tarceva) and gemcitabine.

To learn more about how Tarceva performed in clinical trials, see the drug’s prescribing information. And if you have questions about whether Tarceva is right for you, talk with your doctor.

Tarceva and children

Tarceva is not approved for use in children. It’s unknown if the drug is safe or effective for children with NSCLC or pancreatic cancer.