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Tykerb Oral

In Depth

Generic Name: LAPATINIB - ORAL
Pronounced: (la-PA-ti-nib)

Tykerb Oral Side Effects

Nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, mouth sores, mild rash, dry skin, and trouble sleeping may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Diarrhea is a common side effect and may become severe. Tell your doctor immediately if diarrhea occurs or if you have signs of a severe loss of body water (dehydration) such as dizziness or decreased amount of urine. Your doctor should prescribe additional medication to help control your symptoms. If your diarrhea becomes severe, your doctor may need to stop or delay your lapatinib treatment.

Treatment with this drug may sometimes cause your hands/feet to develop a skin reaction called hand-foot syndrome (palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia). Tell your doctor immediately if you experience swelling, pain, redness, peeling, blisters, or tingling/burning of the hands/feet. The symptoms can be made worse by heat/pressure on your hands/feet. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths, and sunlamps, as well as unnecessary exposure to heat (e.g., hot dishwater, long hot baths). Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors. Avoid pressure on elbows, knees, and soles of feet (e.g., leaning on elbows, kneeling, taking long walks). Wear loose clothing and comfortable shoes. Depending on how severe your hand-foot syndrome is, your doctor may give you an additional medication to reduce the symptoms, or stop or delay your lapatinib treatment.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur:

  • unusual tiredness
  • shortness of breath
  • swelling ankles/feet
  • fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat
  • dizziness
  • fainting
  • dark urine
  • yellowing skin/eyes


A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:

  • rash
  • itching
  • swelling
  • severe dizziness
  • trouble breathing


This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Tykerb Oral Medical Alert

Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For information about enrolling in MedicAlert, call 1-800-854-1166 (USA) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).

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