Brigatinib is used to treat a certain type of lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer) that has spread to other parts of the body which is caused by a defect in a gene called anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK).
This medicine reduces the size of the tumour by stopping cancer cells from growing in adults who failed previous cancer treatment.
Take Brigatinib exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.
You may take this medicine with or without food. Try to take it at the same time each day.
Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. Do not crush, chew or dissolve the tablet.
If you vomit after taking Brigatinib, do not repeat the dose. Take the next dose at your normal scheduled time.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the treatment timeframe depending on your condition and response to the medication.
Brigatinib must be taken regularly for it to be effective. Continue taking this medicine even when you feel better. Do not stop taking it unless instructed by the doctor.
If you missed a dose, DO NOT take an additional dose to make up for the forgotten dose. Take the next dose at your normal dosing schedule.
DO NOT double a dose under any circumstances.
If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.
Do not breastfeed while you are being treated with this medicine and for 1 week after stopping the treatment.
Do not take Brigatinib if you are pregnant. If you become pregnant while on Brigatinib therapy, alert your doctor immediately. This medicine may cause harm to your unborn child.
It is important that you do not get pregnant while taking this medicine. You must use proven birth control methods during Brigatinib therapy and at least 4 months after stopping the treatment. Birth control medicines containing hormones may not be effective. You may wish to discuss other reliable methods of birth control with your doctor.
Do not take Brigatinib with medicines for tuberculosis or TB, epilepsy (fits or seizures), narcolepsy (long-term sleep disorder that causes a person to suddenly fall asleep), high blood pressure in the lungs, HIV infection, and certain antibiotics or herbal supplements. Please see the section “Can I take this with other medicines?” below for more information.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- kidney disease
- liver disease
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.
- Routine tests (e.g. liver function, blood sugar and pancreatic enzyme levels) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you will need to have these tests.
- Your blood pressure may rise to unsafe levels without you noticing it. Monitor your blood pressure and heart rate periodically after 2 weeks and at least monthly during your treatment.
- Regular monitoring for signs and symptoms of lung disease, muscle pain or weakness, and visual disturbances may be needed.
Brigatinib may cause dizziness, tiredness or some problems with your eyesight. If affected do not drive or take part in any activity in which you need to be alert or need to see clearly.
This medicine may cause any of the following side effects: headache, colds, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, stomach pain, indigestion, decreased appetite, weight loss, tiredness, muscle or joint pain, difficulty sleeping, and numbness or tingling sensation in the hands or feet.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- rashes, breathlessness, swollen mouth or eyes
- blurred vision, seeing flashes of light or light hurts your eyes
- cough, fever, chest pain, shortness of breath or other breathing problems
- slow heartbeat, light-headedness or fainting
- persistent stomach pain, unusual tiredness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine
- upper stomach pain that gets worse with eating and may spread to the back
- increased feeling of thirst or hunger, increased urination, confusion
- unexplained muscle pain, muscle tenderness or weakness
Brigatinib may cause the level of your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to drop.
Red blood cells carry oxygen around your body. A fall in the level of red blood cells may make you feel tired and worn out.
White blood cells help your body to fight infections. A fall in the level of your white blood cells may put you at higher risk for infections, such as coughs, colds and flu, which may lead to more serious infections. Avoid crowded places and people who are sick. Inform your doctor if you have a fever or a cough or flu that does not go away.
Platelets help your blood to clot when there is a cut in the skin. A fall in the level of your platelets may put you at risk of bleeding more than usual. Do not take part in activities where you may fall or get injured, such as contact sports. Inform your doctor if you get any unusual bruising (large bruises or several bruises, especially if the bruises appeared on their own) or bleeding that takes a long time to stop (for example, too much bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth).
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Do not take Brigatinib if you are taking any of these medicines:
- medicines used to treat tuberculosis or TB e.g. rifampicin, rifabutin
- medicines for epilepsy (fits or seizures) e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital
- medicines for HIV infection e.g. efavirenz, etravine
- medicine to treat high blood pressure in the lungs e.g. bosentan
- medicine for narcolepsy e.g. modafinil
- certain antibiotic e.g. nafcillin
- herbal supplement e.g. St. John’s wort
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are also taking any of these medicines:
- medicines to treat fungal infection e.g. itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole
- certain antibiotics e.g. clarithromycin, telithromycin, troleandomycin, sulfasalazine
- medicines for HIV infection e.g. indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, nelfinavir
- medicines used in organ transplant or certain immune disorders e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus
- medicines for heart disease e.g. mibefradil, digoxin, quinidine
- cholesterol-lowering medicines e.g. pravastatin, rosuvastatin
- strong painkillers e.g. fentanyl, alfentanil
- medicine for gout (abnormal metabolism of uric acid) e.g. colchicine
- medicine to treat depression e.g. nefazodone
- blood-thinning medicine e.g. dabigatran
- other medicine for cancer e.g. methotrexate
- hormonal birth control pills
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Brigatinib.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Avoid consumption of grapefruit or grapefruit juice during treatment with Brigatinib.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
This medicine should not be thrown in the household waste. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to properly dispose this medicine.
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