Diarrhea, anemia, and hand-and-foot syndrome are the most common side effects of Tykerb. They are either caused by the combination of Tykerb and Xeloda (another cancer medication) or just Xeloda. There are also several potentially serious Tykerb side effects that may occur, including difficulty breathing or water retention, blood in the stool, and a fever or other signs of an infection.
Tykerb Side Effects: An Introduction
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
Tykerb® (
lapatinib); however, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Tykerb. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Tykerb side effects with you.)
Common Tykerb Side Effects
Tykerb has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which a group of people taking the drug have side effects documented. Tykerb is always used in combination with
Xeloda® (
capecitabine). In these studies, the most common side effects of Tykerb when used in combination with Xeloda included:
Other common side effects of Tykerb and Xeloda (occurring in 10 to 20 percent of people) included:
Many of these side effects are due mostly (or entirely) to Xeloda, not to Tykerb. In fact, nausea, hand-and-foot syndrome, and anemia are almost as common in people taking just Xeloda as in those taking both Xeloda and Tykerb (which suggests that these side effects are not caused by Tykerb).
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