Introduction
What is Alecensa?
Alecensa is a brand-name prescription drug. It’s approved to treat a certain type of lung cancer that’s anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+). This means the cancer has a mutation (abnormal change) in the ALK gene.
Specifically, Alecensa is prescribed for adults with metastatic ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). (With metastatic lung cancer, the cancer has spread from your lungs to other parts of your body.)
Alecensa contains the active drug alectinib, which is an ALK inhibitor. This type of drug is commonly used to treat specific types of cancer. Alecensa belongs to a larger class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors. (A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way.)
Alecensa comes as capsules that are taken by mouth twice each day with food. Alecensa is available in only one strength: 150 mg.
Effectiveness
In a clinical study, Alecensa was given to people with metastatic ALK+ NSCLC who hadn’t received any treatment in the past. Alecensa was compared to another ALK inhibitor called crizotinib (Xalkori). In this study, there weren’t any people who took a placebo (no active drug).
People in the study took either Alecensa 600 mg twice a day or crizotinib 250 mg twice a day. The researchers looked to see which drug gave people a longer progression-free survival (PFS) time. PFS shows how long a person with cancer lives without their cancer getting worse.
In the study, half of the people who took Alecensa had a PFS of at least 26 months. In comparison, half of the people who took crizotinib had a PFS of at least 10 months.
Warning & Precautions
- Alecensa shouldn’t be used by women who are pregnant.
- Alecensa shouldn’t be used by women who are breastfeeding.
- If youhave lung disease or any breathing problems, Alecensa could worsen your condition.
- If you have bradycardia (slow heart rate), Alecensa could worsen your condition.
How to Use
- Alecensa comes as capsules that are taken by mouth with food. It’s available in one strength: 150 mg.
- The typical dosage of Alecensa for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is 600 mg taken twice each day with food.
- Most people find it convenient to take the drug once in the morning and once in the evening.
- Alecensa capsules should be swallowed whole. You shouldn’t open or break the capsules.
Side Effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them
Serious
- blurry vision
- reduced ability to see
- seeing floaters
- myalgia (muscle pain)
- muscle tenderness
- muscle weakness
- allergic reaction
- inflammation or swelling in your lungs
- kidney damage
- liver damage
- bradycardia (slow heart rate)
Common
- constipation
- edema (swelling in your feet, hands, or legs)
- fatigue (lack of energy)
- muscle pain
- anemia (low red blood cell level)
- hyperglycemia (high blood sugar level)
- reduced blood levels of calcium, sodium, phosphate, and potassium
Uncommon
- headache
- back pain
- changes in taste, including being unable to taste certain foods
- lymphopenia (low level of lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell)
- neutropenia (low level of neutrophils, which are a type of white blood cell)
- cough
- diarrhea
- nausea
- vomiting
- increased skin sensitivity to sunlight, which may lead to sunburn
- rash
- shortness of breath
- weight gain
More Information
Storage
- Keep this medicine out of reach of children
- Store at room temperature (15-25°C)
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date
FAQs
Is Alecensa chemotherapy?
No, Alecensa, which contains the drug alectinib, isn’t considered a chemotherapy drug. (Chemotherapy generally refers to traditional drugs used to treat cancer.)
Chemotherapy drugs target all cells in your body that are multiplying quickly. (Cells that are multiplying are making more cells.) Because cancer cells are quickly multiplying, chemotherapy affects them. But chemotherapy can also affect healthy cells in your body that are quickly multiplying. This causes some of the familiar side effects of chemotherapy, including hair loss and infections.
Unlike chemotherapy, Alecensa is a type of targeted therapy. Targeted therapies work only on specific cells in your body. Alecensa only targets specific cancer cells, rather than all the quickly multiplying cells in your body. Because targeted therapies affect specific cells, they usually cause fewer side effects compared with chemotherapy.
Why do I need to avoid the sun while I’m taking Alecensa?
You should try to avoid sunlight because Alecensa may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. (This condition is also called photosensitivity.) In fact, during clinical studies, 9.9% of people taking Alecensa reported skin sensitivity to the sun.
It’s not known for sure why this side effect occurs with Alecensa. But almost all of the people affected by it had only grade 1 photosensitivity. This means their sunburn was painless and it caused only mild redness on their skin.
While you’re taking Alecensa, you may sunburn more easily or get severe sunburns. Because of this, you should use sunscreen and lip balm with at least an SPF of 50 during treatment. Doing this will help to protect you from sunburn while you’re using Alecensa.
Can Alecensa cure non-small cell lung cancer?
No, unfortunately, Alecensa isn’t a cure for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
However, in clinical studies, half of the people with NSCLC who took Alecensa lived for nearly 26 months or more without their cancer worsening. And these people didn’t have any growth or spread of their cancer to other parts of their body over this period of time.
How will my doctor monitor muscle pain I may have while I’m taking Alecensa?
If you have muscle pain, your doctor may check your creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level.
Alecensa may increase your blood levels of the CPK enzyme (a type of protein). This enzyme is typically released when your muscles are damaged or injured. An increased CPK level may be a sign that muscle damage has occurred.
Your doctor will likely check your CPK level every 2 weeks during your first month of Alecensa treatment. After that, your doctor will order the test if they think it’s needed. They may also order it if you’re having muscle pain.
Depending on your blood levels of CPK, your doctor may recommend that you either temporarily or permanently stop taking Alecensa. They may also lower your dosage of the drug.
If you have muscle pain during Alecensa treatment, let your doctor know. They can recommend whether you need to have you CPK level checked.
Disclaimer:The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
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