Lung cancer has been causing one death every 3 seconds. Erlotinib, a new drug that is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer, gives more hopes to the patient. Patients who received erlotinib had a better average survival.
It works by blocking the EGFR tyrosine kinase protein in the cancer cell from getting a message that tells the cell to grow and divide.
Erlonitib is prescribed to patients who have failed at least one previous round of chemotherapy.
The most common side effects due to erlotinib are rash, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Although mild, patient must contact doctors if any of those side effects last more than one day.
