Dacomitinib is a type of targeted cancer drug. It is also known as Vizimpro.
It is a treatment for
or
non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the EGFR gene change (mutation).
You pronounce dacomitinib as da-koh-mih-tih-nib.
How does dacomitinib work?
Dacomitinib is a
which is a type of cancer growth blocker. It blocks proteins on cancer cells that encourage the cancer to grow.
These proteins are called epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR). If you have a cancer that has these receptors, you are EGFR positive. You have tests on your cancer cells to check for these receptors before you have this treatment.
How do you take dacomitinib?
Dacomitinib is a tablet. You swallow it whole with a glass of water. You can take it with or without food. You take it at the same time each day.
You should take the right dose, not more or less.
Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug, or if you miss a dose.
How often do you have dacomitinib?
You take dacomitinib once a day.
You usually keep taking dacomitinib for as long as it's working or until the side effects get too bad.
Tests
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
What are the side effects of dacomitinib?
How often and how severe the side effects are can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatment you are having.
When to contact your team
Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you closely during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
- you have severe side effects
- your side effects aren’t getting any better
- your side effects are getting worse
We haven't listed all the side effects here. Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects, but you might have some of them at the same time.
Common side effects
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
Sore mouth and ulcers
Mouth sores and ulcers
can be painful. Keep your mouth and teeth clean; drink plenty of fluids; avoid acidic foods such as oranges and lemons; chew gum to keep the mouth moist and tell your doctor or nurse if you have ulcers.Loss of appetite and weight loss
You might
lose your appetite
for various reasons while having cancer treatment. Sickness, taste changes or tiredness can put you off food and drinks.You might lose weight while having this treatment. Let your doctor or nurse know and they can recommend ways of maintaining your weight. Or they can refer you to a dietitian.
Feeling or being sick
Feeling or being sick
is usually well controlled with anti sickness medicines. Avoiding fatty or fried foods, try eating small meals and snacks, drinking plenty of water, and relaxation techniques can all help.It is important to take anti sickness medicines as prescribed even if you don’t feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness rather than treat it once it has started.
Diarrhoea
Contact your advice line if you have
diarrhoea
, such as if you've had 4 or more loose watery poos (stools) in 24 hours. Or if you can't drink to replace the lost fluid. Or if it carries on for more than 3 days.Your doctor may give you anti diarrhoea medicine to take home with you after treatment. Eat less fibre, avoid raw fruits, fruit juice, cereals and vegetables, and drink plenty to replace the fluid lost.
Nail problems, including swelling around the nails
Your nails may become brittle, dry, painful, change colour or develop ridges. This usually goes back to normal when you finish treatment.
The skin around your nail might get swollen, red, and sore (paronychia). It may also become infected. Talk to the team looking after you if you notice this.
Skin rash
Skin problems include a skin rash, dry skin, acne, itching, cracked and peeling skin. This usually goes back to normal when your treatment finishes. Your nurse will tell you what products you can use on your skin to help.
Hair loss
You could lose your hair. This might include your eyelashes, eyebrows, underarms, legs and sometimes pubic hair. Your hair will usually grow back once treatment has finished but it is likely to be softer. It may grow back a different colour or be curlier than before.
Changes in the levels of minerals in your blood
Your blood contains different levels of minerals, electrolytes, and proteins. This treatment can change the levels of potassium in your blood and liver enzymes. You will have regular blood tests to check for this.
Eye problems
You might get dry, red, itchy eyes (conjunctivitis). Tell your healthcare team if you have this. They can give you eye drops or other medication to help.
Soreness, redness and peeling on palms and soles of feet
The
skin on your hands and feet may become sore, red, or may peel
. You may also have tingling, numbness, pain and dryness. This is called hand-foot syndrome or palmar plantar syndrome.Moisturise your skin regularly. Your healthcare team will tell you what moisturiser to use.
Tiredness and weakness
You might feel
very tired
and as though you lack energy.Various things can help you to reduce tiredness and cope with it, for example exercise. Some research has shown that taking gentle exercise can give you more energy. It is important to balance exercise with resting.
Occasional side effects
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
- taste changes
- extra hair growth on your body
- loss of body fluid (dehydration)
- lung problems including shortness of breath and scarring of the lungs
Coping with side effects
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
What else do you need to know?
Other medicines, food and drink
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We are unable to list all the possible interactions that may happen. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.
Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies you may have.
Loss of fertility
It is not known whether this treatment affects fertility in people. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
Contraception and pregnancy
This drug may harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to become pregnant while you are having treatment. Adequate contraception should be used by both men and women who take dacomitinib during treatment and for 2 months afterwards.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting treatment. Let them know straight away if you fall pregnant while you're having treatment.
Breastfeeding
Don’t breastfeed during this treatment because the drug may come through into your breast milk.
Treatment for other conditions
Always tell other doctors, nurses, pharmacists or dentists that you’re having this treatment. For example, if you need treatment for anything else, including teeth problems.
Immunisations
Don’t have immunisations with live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. The length of time depends on the treatment you are having. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, BCG, yellow fever and one of the shingles vaccines called Zostavax.
You can have:
- other vaccines, but they might not give you as much protection as usual
- the flu vaccine (as an injection)
- the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine - talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the best time to have it in relation to your cancer treatment
Members of your household who are aged 5 years or over are also able to have the COVID-19 vaccine. This is to help lower your risk of getting COVID-19 while having cancer treatment and until your
recovers from treatment.
Contact with others who have had immunisations - You can be in contact with other people who have had live vaccines as injections. Avoid close contact with people who have recently had live vaccines taken by mouth (oral vaccines) such as the oral typhoid vaccine. Sometimes people who have had the live shingles vaccine can get a shingles type rash. If this happens they should keep the area covered.
If your immune system is severely weakened, you should avoid contact with children who have had the flu vaccine as a nasal spray as this is a live vaccine. This is for 2 weeks following their vaccination.
Babies have the live rotavirus vaccine. The virus is in the baby’s poo for about 2 weeks and could make you ill if your immunity is low. Get someone else to change their nappies during this time if you can. If this isn't possible, wash your hands well after changing their nappy.
More information about this treatment
For further information about this treatment and possible side effects go to the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website. You can find the patient information leaflet on this website.
You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.
