Does Tarceva (erlotinib) cause side effects?
Tarceva (erlotinib) is a cancer medication used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), advanced unresectable metastatic prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
Many cells, including cancer cells, have receptors on their surfaces for epidermal growth factor (EGF), a protein that is normally produced by the body and that promotes the growth and multiplication of cells. When EGF attaches to epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs), it causes an enzyme called tyrosine kinase to become active within the cells.
Tyrosine kinase triggers chemical processes that cause the cells, including cancer cells, to grow, multiply, and spread. Tarceva attaches to EGFRs, blocking the attachment of EGF and the activation of tyrosine kinase. This mechanism for stopping cancer cells from growing and multiplying is very different from the mechanisms of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy.
Common side effects of Tarceva include
- rash,
- diarrhea,
- loss of appetite,
- weight loss,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- stomach pain,
- fatigue,
- shortness of breath,
- mouth sores,
- dry skin,
- itching, and
- cough.
Serious side effects of Tarceva include
- liver failure,
- kidney failure,
- increased bleeding rates,
- gastrointestinal perforation,
- corneal perforation or ulceration, and
- rare reports of serious lung disease, including deaths.
Drug interactions of Tarceva include atazanavir, clarithromycin, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, nefazodone, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, telithromycin, and voriconazole, and other drugs that inhibit CYP3A4, which can result in high levels of Tarceva in the body, and the high levels can result in toxicity from Tarceva.
- Drugs such as rifampicin, rifabutin, rifapentine, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and St. John's wort increase the elimination of Tarceva by increasing the activity of CYP3A4 enzymes. This reduces the levels of Tarceva in the body and may reduce its effect.
- Cigarette smoking also reduces the concentration of Tarceva in the blood. Patients are advised to quit smoking.
- Drugs that reduce the production of acid in the stomach will reduce the absorption of Tarceva.
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) should not be administered with Tarceva, and Tarceva should be administered 10 hours before H2-receptor blockers or two hours after taking the H2-receptor blocker. Administration of antacids should be separated from administration of Tarceva by several hours.
- Tarceva has been associated with increased risk of bleeding, especially in patients also taking warfarin.
There are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women using Tarceva, women of childbearing age should be advised to avoid pregnancy while on Tarceva. It is unknown if Tarceva is excreted in breastmilk.
Because many medicines are excreted in breast milk and because the effects of Tarceva on infants have not been studied, women should abstain from breastfeeding while receiving Tarceva.
What are the important side effects of Tarceva (erlotinib)?
The most common side effects of erlotinib are:
- rash,
- diarrhea,
- loss of appetite,
- weight loss,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- stomach pain,
- fatigue,
- shortness of breath,
- mouth sores,
- dry skin,
- itching, and
- cough.
Any of these can occur in about half of all patients who receive the medicine, but these effects are usually mild. There have been rare reports of serious lung disease, including deaths, in patients receiving erlotinib for treatment of NSCLC or other tumors.
Other important side effects include:
- Liver failure,
- kidney failure,
- increased bleeding rates,
- gastrointestinal perforation, and
- corneal perforation or ulceration.
Tarceva (erlotinib) side effects list for healthcare professionals
The following serious adverse reactions, which may include fatalities, are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling:
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- Renal Failure
- Hepatotoxicity with or without Hepatic Impairment
- Gastrointestinal Perforation
- Bullous and Exfoliative Skin Disorders
- Cerebrovascular Accident
- Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemia with Thrombocytopenia
- Ocular Disorders
- Hemorrhage in Patients Taking Warfarin
Clinical Trial Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Safety evaluation of Tarceva is based on more than 1200 cancer patients who received Tarceva as monotherapy, more than 300 patients who received Tarceva 100 or 150 mg plus gemcitabine, and 1228 patients who received Tarceva concurrently with other chemotherapies.
The most common adverse reactions with Tarceva are rash and diarrhea usually with onset during the first month of treatment. The incidences of rash and diarrhea from clinical studies of Tarceva for the treatment of NSCLC and pancreatic cancer were 70% for rash and 42% for diarrhea.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
First-Line Treatment of Patients with EGFR Mutations
- The most frequent ( ≥ 30%) adverse reactions in Tarceva-treated patients were diarrhea, asthenia, rash, cough, dyspnea, and decreased appetite. In Tarceva-treated patients the median time to onset of rash was 15 days and the median time to onset of diarrhea was 32 days.
- The most frequent Grade 3-4 adverse reactions in Tarceva-treated patients were rash and diarrhea.
- Dose interruptions or reductions due to adverse reactions occurred in 37% of Tarceva-treated patients, and 14.3% of Tarceva-treated patients discontinued therapy due to adverse reactions.
- In Tarceva-treated patients, the most frequently reported adverse reactions leading to dose modification were rash (13%), diarrhea (10%), and asthenia (3.6%).
- Common adverse reactions in Study 1, occurring in at least 10% of patients who received Tarceva or chemotherapy and an increase in ≥ 5% in the Tarceva-treated group, are graded by National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0 (NCI-CTCAE v3.0) Grade in Table 1. The median duration of Tarceva treatment was 9.6 months in Study 1.
Table 1: Adverse Reactions with an Incidence Rate
≥ 10% and an Increase of ≥ 5% in the Tarceva-Treated Group (Study 1)
Adverse Reaction | Tarceva N = 84 |
Chemotherapy† N = 83 |
||
All Grades% | Grades 3-4% | All Grades% | Grades 3-4% | |
Rash ‡ | 85 | 14 | 5 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 62 | 5 | 21 | 1 |
Cough | 48 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
Dyspnea | 45 | 8 | 30 | 4 |
Dry skin | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Back pain | 19 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
Chest pain | 18 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
Conjunctivitis | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mucosal inflammation | 18 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Pruritus | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Paronychia | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arthralgia | 13 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
Musculoskeletal pain | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
† Platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin
with gemcitabine or docetaxel). ‡ Rash as a composite term includes rash, acne, folliculitis, erythema, acneiform dermatitis, dermatitis, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, exfoliative rash, erythematous rash, rash pruritic, skin toxicity, eczema, follicular rash, skin ulcer. |
- Hepatic Toxicity: One Tarceva-treated patient experienced fatal hepatic failure and four additional patients experienced grade 3-4 liver test abnormalities in Study 1.
Maintenance Treatment
- Adverse reactions, regardless of causality, that occurred in at least 3% of patients treated with single-agent Tarceva at 150 mg and at least 3% more often than in the placebo group in the randomized maintenance trial (Study 3) are summarized by NCI-CTCAE v3.0 Grade in Table 2.
- The most common adverse reactions in patients receiving single-agent Tarceva 150 mg were rash and diarrhea. Grade 3-4 rash and diarrhea occurred in 9% and 2%, respectively, in Tarceva-treated patients. Rash and diarrhea resulted in study discontinuation in 1% and 0.5% of Tarceva-treated patients, respectively.
- Dose reduction or interruption for rash and diarrhea was needed in 5% and 3% of patients, respectively.
- In Tarceva-treated patients the median time to onset of rash was 10 days, and the median time to onset of diarrhea was 15 days.
Table 2: NSCLC Maintenance
Study: Adverse Reactions Occurring with an Incidence Rate ≥ 10% and an
Increase of ≥ 5% in the Single-Agent Tarceva Group compared to the
Placebo Group (Study 3)
Adverse Reaction | Tarceva N = 433 |
PLACEBO N = 445 |
||||
Any Grade % | Grade 3 % | Grade 4 % | Any Grade % | Grade 3 % | Grade 4 % | |
Rash † | 60 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 20 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
† Rash as a composite term includes: rash, acne, acneiform dermatitis, skin fissures, erythema, papular rash, rash generalized, pruritic rash, skin exfoliation, urticaria, dermatitis, eczema, exfoliative rash, exfoliative dermatitis, furuncle, macular rash, pustular rash, skin hyperpigmentation, skin reaction, skin ulcer. |
- Liver test abnormalities including ALT elevations were observed at Grade 2 or greater severity in 3% of Tarceva-treated patients and 1% of placebo-treated patients.
- Grade 2 and above bilirubin elevations were observed in 5% of Tarceva-treated patients and in < 1% in the placebo group.
Second/Third Line Treatment
- Adverse reactions, regardless of causality, that occurred in at least 10% of patients treated with single-agent Tarceva at 150 mg and at least 5% more often than in the placebo group in the randomized trial of patients with NSCLC are summarized by NCI-CTC v2.0 Grade in Table 3.
- The most common adverse reactions in this patient population were rash and diarrhea. Grade 3-4 rash and diarrhea occurred in 9% and 6%, respectively, in Tarceva-treated patients.
- Rash and diarrhea each resulted in study discontinuation in 1% of Tarceva-treated patients.
- Six percent and 1% of patients needed dose reduction for rash and diarrhea, respectively.
- The median time to onset of rash was 8 days, and the median time to onset of diarrhea was 12 days.
Table 3: NSCLC 2nd/3rd Line Study: Adverse Reactions
Occurring with an Incidence Rate ≥ 10% and an Increase of ≥ 5% in
the Single-Agent Tarceva Group Compared to the Placebo Group (Study 4)
Adverse Reaction | Tarceva 150 mg N=485 |
Placebo N=242 |
||||
Any Grade % | Grade 3 % | Grade 4 % | Any Grade % | Grade 3 % | Grade 4 % | |
Rash† | 75 | 8 | < 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 54 | 6 | < 1 | 18 | < 1 | 0 |
Anorexia | 52 | 8 | 1 | 38 | 5 | < 1 |
Fatigue | 52 | 14 | 4 | 45 | 16 | 4 |
Dyspnea | 41 | 17 | 11 | 35 | 15 | 11 |
Nausea | 33 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 0 |
Infection | 24 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
Stomatitis | 17 | < 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Pruritus | 13 | < 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Dry skin | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Conjunctivitis | 12 | < 1 | 0 | 2 | < 1 | 0 |
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
† Rash as a composite term includes: rash, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, acne, skin disorder, pigmentation disorder, erythema, skin ulcer, exfoliative dermatitis, papular rash, skin desquamation. |
- Liver function test abnormalities [including elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and bilirubin] were observed in patients receiving single-agent Tarceva 150 mg.
- These elevations were mainly transient or associated with liver metastases.
- Grade 2 [ > 2.5 - 5.0 x upper limit of normal (ULN)] ALT elevations occurred in 4% and < 1% of Tarceva and placebo treated patients, respectively.
- Grade 3 ( > 5.0 - 20.0 x ULN) elevations were not observed in Tarceva-treated patients.
- Tarceva dosing should be interrupted or discontinued if changes in liver function are severe.
Pancreatic Cancer -Tarceva Administered Concurrently with Gemcitabine
- This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Tarceva (150 mg or 100 mg daily) or placebo plus gemcitabine (1000 mg/m² by intravenous infusion) in patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer (Study 5).
- The safety population comprised 282 patients in the erlotinib group (259 in the 100 mg cohort and 23 in the 150 mg cohort) and 280 patients in the placebo group (256 in the 100 mg cohort and 24 in the 150 mg cohort).
- Adverse reactions that occurred in at least 10% of patients treated with Tarceva 100 mg plus gemcitabine in the randomized trial of patients with pancreatic cancer (Study 5) were graded according to NCI-CTC v2.0 in Table 4.
- The most common adverse reactions in pancreatic cancer patients receiving Tarceva 100 mg plus gemcitabine were
- In the Tarceva plus gemcitabine arm, Grade 3-4 rash and diarrhea were each reported in 5% of patients.
- The median time to onset of rash and diarrhea was 10 days and 15 days, respectively.
- Rash and diarrhea each resulted in dose reductions in 2% of patients, and resulted in study discontinuation in up to 1% of patients receiving Tarceva plus gemcitabine.
- Severe adverse reactions ( ≥ Grade 3
NCI-CTC) in the Tarceva plus gemcitabine group with incidences < 5% included
- syncope,
- arrhythmias,
- ileus,
- pancreatitis,
-
hemolytic
anemia including
- microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia,
- myocardial infarction/ischemia,
- cerebrovascular accidents including cerebral hemorrhage, and
- renal insufficiency.
- The 150 mg cohort was associated with a higher rate of certain class-specific adverse reactions including rash and required more frequent dose reduction or interruption.
Table 4: Adverse Reactions
Occurring with an Incidence Rate ≥ 10% and an Increase of ≥ 5% in
Tarceva-Treated Pancreatic Cancer Patients: 100 mg Cohort (Study 5)
Adverse Reaction/td> | Tarceva + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² IV N=259 |
Placebo + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² IV N=256 |
||||
Any Grade% | Grade 3% | Grade 4% | Any Grade% | Grade 3% | Grade 4% | |
Rash † | 70 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 48 | 5 | < 1 | 36 | 2 | 0 |
Decreased weight | 39 | 2 | 0 | 29 | < 1 | 0 |
Infection * | 39 | 13 | 3 | 30 | 9 | 2 |
Pyrexia | 36 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 4 | 0 |
Stomatitis | 22 | < 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Depression | 19 | 2 | 0 | 14 | < 1 | 0 |
Cough | 16 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Headache | 15 | < 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
* Infections as a composite
term include infections with unspecified pathogens as well as bacterial
(including chlamydial, rickettsial, mycobacterial and mycoplasmal), parasitic
(including helminthic, ectoparasitic and protozoal), viral and fungal
infectious disorders. &† Rash as a composite term includes: rash, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, pigmentation disorder, acneiform dermatitis, folliculitis, photosensitivity reaction, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, urticaria, erythematous rash, skin disorder, skin ulcer. |
- Ten patients (4%) in the Tarceva/gemcitabine group and three patients (1%) in the placebo/gemcitabine group developed deep venous thrombosis.
- The overall incidence of grade 3 or 4 thrombotic events, including deep venous thrombosis was 11% for Tarceva plus gemcitabine and 9% for placebo plus gemcitabine.
- The incidences of liver test abnormalities ( = Grade 2) in Study 5 are provided in Table 5.
Table 5: Liver Test Abnormalities in Pancreatic Cancer
Patients: 100 mg Cohort (Study 5)
Tarceva + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² IV br /> N=259 | Placebo + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m² IV N=256 |
|||||
Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | |
Bilirubin | 17% | 10% | < 1% | 11% | 10% | 3% |
ALT | 31% | 13% | < 1% | 22% | 9% | 0% |
AST | 24% | 10% | < 1% | 19% | 9% | 0% |
NSCLC and Pancreatic Indications: Selected Low Frequency Adverse Reactions
GGastrointestinal Disorders
- Cases of gastrointestinal bleeding (including fatalities) have been reported, some associated with concomitant warfarin or NSAID administration.
- These adverse reactions were reported as
- peptic ulcer bleeding (gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers),
- hematemesis,
- hematochezia,
- melena and
- hemorrhage from possible colitis.
Post-Marketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of Tarceva. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
- Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, in combination with statin therapy
- Eye Disorders: ocular inflammation including uveitis
What drugs interact with Tarceva (erlotinib)?
CCYP3A4 Inhibitors
- Co-administration of Tarceva with a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor or a combined CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 inhibitor increased erlotinib exposure. Erlotinib is metabolized primarily by CYP3A4 and to a lesser extent by CYP1A2. Increased erlotinib exposure may increase the risk of exposure-related toxicity.
- Avoid co-administering Tarceva with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., boceprevir, clarithromycin, conivaptan, indinavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, lopinavir/ritonavir, nefazodone, nelfinavir, posaconazole, ritonavir, saquinavir, telithromycin, voriconazole, grapefruit or grapefruit juice) or a combined CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 inhibitor (e.g., ciprofloxacin).
- Reduce the Tarceva dosage when co-administering with a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor or a combined CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 inhibitor if co-administration is unavoidable.
CYP3A4 Inducers
- Pre-treatment with a CYP3A4 inducer prior to Tarceva decreased erlotinib exposure. Increase the Tarceva dosage if co-administration with CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentine, phenobarbital and St. John's wort) is unavoidable.
CYP1A2 Inducers And Cigarette Smoking
- Cigarette smoking decreased erlotinib exposure. Avoid smoking tobacco (CYP1A2 inducer) and avoid concomitant use of Tarceva with moderate CYP1A2 inducers (e.g., teriflunomide, rifampin, or phenytoin).
- Increase the Tarceva dosage in patients that smoke tobacco or when co-administration with moderate CYP1A2 inducers is unavoidable.
Drugs The Increase Gastric pH
- Co-administration of Tarceva with proton pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazole) and H-2 receptor antagonists (e.g., ranitidine) decreased erlotinib exposure.
- For proton pump inhibitors, avoid concomitant use if possible. For H2 receptor antagonists and antacids, modify the dosing schedule.
- Increasing the dose of Tarceva when co-administered with gastric PH elevating agents is not likely to compensate for the loss of exposure.
Anticoagulants
- Interaction with coumarin-derived anticoagulants, including warfarin, leading to increased International Normalized Ratio (INR) and bleeding adverse reactions, which in some cases were fatal, have been reported in patients receiving Tarceva.
- Regularly monitor prothrombin time or INR in patients taking coumarin-derived anticoagulants. Dose modifications of Tarceva are not recommended.
Summary
Tarceva (erlotinib) is a cancer medication used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), advanced unresectable metastatic prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Common side effects of Tarceva include rash, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, mouth sores, dry skin, itching, and cough. There are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women using Tarceva, women of childbearing age should be advised to avoid pregnancy while on Tarceva. It is unknown if Tarceva is excreted in breastmilk.
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
-
Signs of Prostate Cancer: Symptoms, PSA Test, Treatments
What is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Learn the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, along...
-
Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
Learn about pancreatic cancer signs, symptoms, causes, statistics, treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, biological...
-
Lung Cancer: Early Signs, Symptoms, Stages
Learn about lung cancer early warning signs, symptoms and treatments. What causes stage IV lung cancer? Get more information on...
-
Prostate Cancer Quiz
Is prostate cancer the most common cancer in men? Take this prostate cancer quiz to find out and learn the causes, symptoms, and...
-
Lung Cancer Quiz: Signs and Symptoms
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in both men and women in the U.S. and worldwide. Get the facts about lung...
-
Picture of Pancreatic Cancer
An abdominal CT scan shows a small, vaguely seen 2-cm pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mass) causing obstruction of both the common...
-
Picture of Pancreatic Cancer Tumor
This is a gross section of a malignant tumor of the pancreas resected from the pancreatic body and tail. See a picture of...
-
Picture of Lung Cancer
Cancer of the lung, like all cancers, results from an abnormality in the body's basic unit of life, the cell. See a picture of...
-
Lung Cancer Risks: Myths and Facts
Learn about lung cancer myths and facts. Explore how cigar smoke, menthol, and pollution can increase your risk of lung cancer...
Related Disease Conditions
-
Prostate Cancer: Erectile Dysfunction
Second Source article from The Cleveland Clinic
-
Prostate Cancer Staging and Survival Rates
The prognosis for prostate cancer, as with any cancer, depends on how advanced the cancer has become, according to established stage designations. The patient's PSA score at diagnosis, as well as their Gleason score (the grading system used to determine the aggressiveness of prostate cancer) determines the prognosis and final stage designation. Prostate cancer has a high survival rate in general, but your chances depend on the stage of the cancer.
-
Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer has been called a "silent" disease because early pancreatic cancer usually does not cause early symptoms. Typically, pancreatic cancer has metastasized (spread to adjacent organs, such as the liver) by the time most people receive a dignosis of pancreatic cancer. Symptoms and signs usually appear later in the course of the disease and include jaundice, back pain, nausea, weight loss, itching, and loss of appetite. Treatment depends upon the type of pancreatic cancer but may include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy.
-
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer kills more men and women than any other form of cancer. Eight out of 10 lung cancers are due to tobacco smoke. Lung cancers are classified as either small-cell or non-small-cell lung cancers.
-
What Are the 5 Warning Signs of Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer rarely produces symptoms in the early stage; however, few signs can help in detecting prostate cancer.
-
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men after skin cancer. Risk factors include age, family history, ethnicity, and diet. Prostate cancer is diagnosed by a digital rectal exam, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, and prostate biopsy. Symptoms may include frequent need to urinate, incontinence, pain, blood in the urine, fatigue, and more. Prognosis and treatment depend on cancer staging. Watchful waiting, surgery, radiation, cryotherapy, and other management strategies are available. Research and clinical trials strive to find new and better treatments for prostate cancer.
-
Prostate Cancer Treatment: Focal Therapy and Other Experimental Treatments
Several new and experimental treatments for prostate cancer are under study, including treatments that use ultrasound, lasers, tissue-freezing gas, and new ways of administering radiation. These new methods are types of focal therapy, that is, treatment focused on the cancer cells in the prostate, rather than systemic therapy that administers medications or other treatments to the whole body with the aim of treating the prostate.
-
What Should I Do After an Unwanted Pregnancy?
There are a variety of options that may help you handle your situation. It might help you to visualize each option and decide how you feel about it. Consider reaching out to trained professionals or close friends if you get overwhelmed.
-
Can Prostate Cancer Be Completely Cured?
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men. Due to routine screening of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the United States, nearly 90% of prostate cancers get detected in early stages. When found early, there are several treatment options available and prostate cancer has a high chance of getting cured.
-
Prostate Cancer Early Signs and Symptoms
Difficulty with urination – frequency, weak stream, trouble getting started, etc. – is usually the first sign of prostate cancer. But these and other early symptoms of prostatic cancer can also come from benign prostate conditions, so diagnostic testing is important, including PSA tests and digital rectal exam.
-
Prostate Cancer Facts
Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer and cancer death in males; in some men, identifying it early may prevent or delay metastasis and death from prostate cancer. The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that is a part of the male reproductive system that wraps around the male urethra at it exits the bladder. Prostate cancer is common in men over 50 years of age, with the risk of developing prostate cancer increases with aging.
-
Early-Stage Prostate Cancer Treatment
If prostate cancer is detected early and appears to be slow-growing, invasive procedures, chemotherapy, radiation and other approaches can sometimes do more harm than good. Many prostate cancer treatments come with side effects, like incontinence or impotence, so it’s in the patient’s interest to put off invasive treatments as long as is medically safe. Active surveillance is where doctors "watch and wait" for changes that could prompt medical intervention.
-
How Is Prostate Cancer Diagnosed?
Prostate cancer is largely a disease of men over 40, so it’s around this age doctors recommend the first prostate screening. The first exam is a blood test to determine if there are abnormal prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels in your blood – PSA is produced by the prostate. If the PSA is high, your doctor will perform a digital rectal exam, during which the doctor feels your prostate from inside your rectum with a gloved finger. Other diagnostic tests include an endoscopic biopsy of tumor tissue for analysis in a lab.
-
Small Cell Lung Cancer vs. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) consist of large cell carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) usually starts in the bronchi and typically appears in those who smoke. SCLC and NSCLC are staged in different manners, and SCLC tends to metastasize more quickly than NSCLC. Signs and symptoms of NSCLC and SCLC include shortness of breath, coughing up blood, recurring lung infections, and chest pain. Treatment may involve radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.
-
Prostate Cancer Treatment: Chemotherapy, Bone-Targeted and Immune Therapy
Doctors may introduce chemotherapy and immune therapy if other measures fail to cure a case of prostate cancer. However, unlike with other forms of cancer, chemotherapy isn’t the first choice for early prostate cancer. Immune therapy uses the body's own immune system to attack the prostate tumor, while bone-targeted therapy aims to preserve bone and prevent metastasis.
-
What Are the Four Types of Lung Cancer?
The four types of lung cancer are classified by what kind of cells the cancer affects and what the tumor cells look like under a microscope. Lung cancers can be small-cell or non-small cell, further classified as squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma.
-
Prostate Cancer: Radical Prostatectomy Surgery
Radical prostatectomy, or surgical removal of the entire prostate gland, isn’t typically the first choice in prostate cancer treatment. Sometimes a radical approach is necessary to keep the cancer from metastasizing, however. Some cases are too severe or diagnosed too late for drugs or radiation to have much effect. In these cases, treatment teams may opt for a radical prostatectomy, despite potential side effects like impotence and incontinence.
-
Prostate Cancer: Radiation, Brachytherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals
Radiation treatment for prostate cancer is a powerful tool at doctors’ disposal. Using radiation vs. surgery or other invasive treatments to kill cancer cells may still cause side effects, but ideally they are less severe. Radiation therapy can be performed via external beam therapy (EBRT) or the placement of radioactive seeds into the prostate (prostate brachytherapy) or using radioactive drugs (radiopharmaceuticals).
-
Prostate Cancer Treatment: Hormonal Therapy
Prostate cancer is highly sensitive to, and dependent on, the level of the male hormone testosterone, which drives the growth of prostate cancer cells. Testosterone belongs to a family of hormones called androgens, and today front-line hormonal therapy for advanced and metastatic prostate cancer is called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).
-
When Should You Screen for Prostate Cancer?
Screening for prostate cancer helps detecta tumor early, enabling timely treatment and prevention of any complications. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the decision to get screened should be made by men in consultation with their doctor. The doctor needs to counsel the men about the uncertainties involved in the screening process, the risks and potential benefits of getting screened for prostate cancer.
-
The Early Signs of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer in its early stages usually causes no signs and symptoms. Screening can help detect the cancer early.
Treatment & Diagnosis
- Lung Cancer FAQs
- Prostate Cancer FAQs
- How Long Does a Person Live with Pancreatic Cancer?
- Prostate Cancer - New Criteria
- Prostate Cancer Risk May Be Lowered By Vitamin E
- Sensitive to Smoke, Lung Cancer Gene
- Lung Cancer and Chemotherapy
- Lung Cancer Signs and Symptoms
- 5 Causes of Lung Cancer in Non-Smokers
- Dana Reeve Dies of Lung Cancer by Dr. Stoppler
- Pancreatic Cancer, the Silent Disease
- Is Prostate Cancer Genetic?
- What Is the Prostate Cancer TNM Stage?
- What Is the Survival Rate for Lung Cancer Nodules?
- What Does Prostate Cancer Do to You?
- How Do You Develop Prostate Cancer?
- What Are the Early Signs of Prostate Cancer?
- Why Does Lung Cancer Spread So Fast?
- Can You Get Lung Cancer After Quitting Smoking?
- Stage IV Lung Cancer With ALK (Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase) Rearrangement
Medications & Supplements

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Professional side effects and drug interactions sections courtesy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.