Lapatinib: Side Effects, Uses & Monitoring

Labeled uses

Lapatinib tablets are kinase inhibitor indicated in combination with: (1 ) capecitabine for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose tumors overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and who have received prior therapy, including an anthracycline, a taxane, and trastuzumab.        Limitations of Use: Patients should have disease progression on trastuzumab prior to initiation of treatment with lapatinib tablets in combination with capecetabine. letrozole for the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses the HER2 receptor for whom hormonal therapy is indicated. Lapatinib tablets in combination with an aromatase inhibitor has not been compared to a trastuzumab-containing chemotherapy regimen for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.