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Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy Regimen Library

Home > LUNG NSCLC Locally advanced/Metastatic - gefitinib

LUNG NSCLC Locally advanced/Metastatic - gefitinib

Treatment Overview

Cycle 1 (and all further cycles) - 30 days

Cycle length:
30

Cycle details

Cycle 1 (and all further cycles) - 30 days

Medication Dose Route Days Max Duration
doxycycline * 100 mg Once daily oral administration 0
hydrocortisone * 1 % Once daily topical administration 0
cetostearyl alcohol + paraffin liquid + paraffin soft white 50 g Once daily topical administration 0
avobenzone + homosalate + octisalate + octocrilene + oxybenzone 50 g topical administration 0
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration 1 to 30
loperamide 2 mg oral administration 1

Full details

Cycle 1 (and all further cycles) - 30 days

Day: 0

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
doxycycline * 100 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
  • To prevent rash.
  • Commence taking the day before gefitinib and continue for 6 weeks or as per institutional policy. If no rash develops after 6 weeks, consider stopping.
  • Take each dose with food and a large glass of water. Swallow whole, do not crush or chew. Remain sitting upright or standing for at least 30 minutes afterwards. Do not take indigestion remedies, iron or calcium preparations within 2 hours of taking this medicine.
  • Protect yourself from too much natural or artificial sunlight while being treated with this medicine.
hydrocortisone * 1 % Once daily topical administration
Instructions:
  • To prevent rash.
  • Apply to the face, hands, feet, neck, back and chest at bedtime or as directed by your oncologist.
  • If no rash develops after 6 weeks, consider stopping.
cetostearyl alcohol + paraffin liquid + paraffin soft white 50 g Once daily topical administration
Instructions:
  • Apply as a moisturiser to the face, hands, feet, neck, back and chest each morning or as directed by your oncologist.
  • Whilst this is a subsidised preparation, other moisturisers may also be suitable.
  • Quantity is approximate only, prescriber discretion required.
avobenzone + homosalate + octisalate + octocrilene + oxybenzone 50 g topical administration
Instructions:
  • SPF 50+ Sunscreen—apply to skin 30 minutes before going outdoors as directed by your oncologist.
  • Certified condition for subsidy. Whilst this is the subsidised preparation, alternative SPF 50+ sunscreen preparations may also be suitable.
  • Quantity is approximate only, prescriber discretion required.

Day: 1

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration
loperamide 2 mg oral administration
Instructions:
Take TWO capsules (=4 mg) at onset of loose bowel motions and a further ONE capsule (=2 mg) for every loose bowel motion (maximum of EIGHT capsules in 24 hours), or use as directed by oncologist or haematologist.

Day: 2

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 3

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 4

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 5

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 6

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 7

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 8

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 9

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 10

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 11

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 12

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 13

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 14

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 15

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 16

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 17

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 18

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 19

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 20

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 21

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 22

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 23

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 24

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 25

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 26

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 27

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 28

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 29

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Day: 30

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
gefitinib 250 mg Once daily oral administration

Supportive Care Factors

Factor Value
Diarrhoea risk: Anti-diarrhoeals are usually prescribed with this treatment
Emetogenicity: Minimal to low

Emetogenicity: MINIMAL to LOW—Antiemetics may be required with continuous dosing of oral anti-cancer medicines with MINIMAL to LOW emetic risk; an individualised approach is appropriate.

References

Mok, T. S., Y. L. Wu, S. Thongprasert, et al. 2009. "Gefitinib or carboplatin-paclitaxel in pulmonary adenocarcinoma." N Engl J Med 361(10):947-957., PMID: 19692680

Mitsudomi, T., Morita, S., Yatabe, Y. et al. 2010. "Gefitinib versus cisplatin plus docetaxel in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer harbouring mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (WJTOG3405): an open label, randomised phase 3 trial." Lancet Oncol; 11 (2): 121-8., PMID: 20022809

Maemondo, M., Inoue, A., Kobayashi, K. et al. 2010. "Gefitinib or chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer with mutated EGFR" N Engl J Med. 362(25): 2380-8., PMID: 20573926

Kris, Mark G., Ronald B. Natale, Roy S. Herbst, et al. 2003. "Efficacy of gefitinib, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, in symptomatic patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized trial." JAMA 290(16):2149-2158., PMID: 14570950

Yang, CH, M. Fukuoka, T. S. Mok, et al. 2010. "Final overall survival (OS) results from a phase III: randomised, open-label, first-line study of gefitinib (G) v carboplatin/paclitaxel (C/P) in clinically selected patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Asia (IPASS). Presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, 2010."

AstraZeneca Limited. Iressa New Zealand Data Sheet 06 October 2020. https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/Datasheet/I/Iressatab.pdf (Accessed 23 July 2024).

Hofheinz RD, Deplanque G, Komatsu Y, et al. Recommendations for the Prophylactic Management of Skin Reactions Induced by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors in Patients With Solid Tumors. Oncologist. 2016;21(12):1483-1491. , PMID: 27449521

Lacouture ME, Anadkat MJ, Bensadoun RJ, Bryce J, Chan A, Epstein JB, Eaby-Sandy B, Murphy BA; MASCC Skin Toxicity Study Group. Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of EGFR inhibitor-associated dermatologic toxicities. Support Care Cancer. 2011 Aug;19(8):1079-95. Epub 2011 Jun 1. , PMID: 21630130

* The medicines, doses, combinations, and schedule in this treatment regimen have been carefully reviewed against international best practice guidelines by specialists in medical oncology around New Zealand and this advice has been accepted for publication by Te Aho o Te Kahu (the Cancer Control Agency). Sometimes medicines that are used in routine clinical practice have not been through a formal review process by the NZ Medicines Regulator Medsafe and are therefore considered unapproved or off-label. These medicines are legally able to be prescribed through sections 25 and 29 of the Medicines Act and by obtaining informed consent from patients. All treatment regimens listed on this website have been through robust peer review and are considered an accepted standard of care, whether prescribed through sections 25 or 29 or carrying formal Medsafe Approval.

s29: This symbol indicates that some formulations of the associated medicine are legally only able to be prescribed under section 29 of the Medicines Act. You can see which formulations are section 29 by hovering over the s29 symbol. You can access full medication details from the New Zealand Formulary by clicking on the medication name. Each clinician retains full responsibility for ensuring they have complied with all relevant obligations and requirements of section 29 including obtaining informed patient consent prior to prescribing the applicable medicine.