For the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. Also for use, in combination with gemcitabine, as the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The mechanism of clinical antitumor action of erlotinib is not fully characterized. Erlotinib inhibits the intracellular phosphorylation of tyrosine kinase associated with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Specificity of inhibition with regard to other tyrosine kinase receptors has not been fully characterized. EGFR is expressed on the cell surface of normal cells and cancer cells.
Symptoms of overdose include diarrhea, rash, and liver transaminase elevation.
Erlotinib is about 60% absorbed after oral administration and its bioavailability is substantially increased by food to almost 100%.
Median half-life of 36.2 hours.