What is Nexavar?
Nexavar is a prescription brand name drug that is used in adults to treat many forms of liver, kidney, and thyroid cancer. Nexavar comes as a tablet that should be taken orally. Nexavar is a targeted treatment that belongs to a family of drugs called kinase inhibitor. Nexavar works by slowing cancer cell growth and destroying those cells that help cancer grow and spread throughout the body.
Nexavar Uses
Nexavar is approved by the FDA and is used for the treatment of:
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a form of liver cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.
- A type of kidney cancer called carcinoma of renal cells (RCC)
- Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (DTC) is a form of thyroid cancer that can no longer be treated with radioactive iodine and is progressing.
Nexavar Side effects
Some of the common side effects of Nexavar are:
- Infections
- Hair loss
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- High blood pressure
- Bleeding
Some of the serious side effects of Nexavar are:
- Heart problems
- Chest pain
- Trouble in breathing
- Irregular heartbeat
- Dizziness
- Swelling of the legs
- Gastrointestinal perforation
- QT prolongation
Within a few days or a couple of weeks, most of these side effects can go away. But talk to the doctor or pharmacist if they get more serious or don't go down.
Precautions
Before taking Nexavar talk with your doctor if you are allergic to it or any other medications. The product may contain some inactive ingredients which can cause some serious allergic reactions or some other serious problems. Before taking Nexavar talk with your doctor if you are having any medical history, such as:
- Bleeding problems
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Blood vessel problem
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
How to take Nexavar?
Take Nexavar as prescribed by the doctor. Follow the prescription label carefully for taking Nexavar or ask the doctor. The medicine should be taken orally on an empty stomach for atleast 1-2 hour after a meal. The dosage is mostly based on medical conditions. Avoid increasing the dosage of the drug and taking the medication for a longer duration.
Nexavar: 200 mg
Dosage for Liver Cancer: 200 mg tablet twice in a day
Dosage for Thyroid Cancer: 200 mg twice a day
Dosage for Kidney Cancer: 200 mg twice per day
Missed Dose
If you forget to take any of the recommended doses then skip the dose that you missed. Start taking the next dosage at a regular time. Don’t take 2 doses of Nexavar at a time for making up for the missed dose. It can raise the risk of side effects.
Overdose
Overdose of a drug can be accidental. If you have taken more than the prescribed Nexavar tablets there is a chance of getting a harmful effect on your body’s functions. Overdose of a medicine can lead to some medical emergency.
Interactions
The drug interactions can change how Nexavar works or can increase some serious risk of side effects. Before visiting the doctor keep a list of all the drugs that you were using. Without informing your doctor don’t stop or increase the dosage of Nexavar as it can show some adverse effects. The product that can interact with Nexavar is Irinotecan, Neomycin, Rifamycins, Rifampin, Rifabutin, Carbamazepine and Phenytoin.
Storage
Direct contact with heat, air and light may damage your medicines. Exposure to medicine may cause some harmful effects. The medicine must be kept in a safe place and out of children’s reach. Mainly the drug should be kept at room temperature between 68ºF and 77ºF (20ºC and 25ºC).
Nexavar vs Lenvima
Nexavar |
Lenvima |
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Nexavar is a prescription brand name drug that is used in adults to treat many forms of liver, kidney, and thyroid cancer. Nexavar comes as a tablet that should be taken orally. | Lenvima is a prescription medication that is used for the treatment of certain kinds of cancer. |
Nexavar is approved by the FDA and is used for the treatment of:Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Advanced renal cell carcinoma and differentiated thyroid carcinoma. | Lenvima is used for the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer, renal cell carcinoma, kidney cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. |
Some of the common side effects of Nexavar are:
|
Some of the common side effects of Lenvima are
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