A specific kind of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to the body is treated with alectinib. Alectinib belongs to the group of drugs known as kinase inhibitors. It functions by preventing the action of a problematic protein that instructs cancer cells to proliferate. This aids in containing or halting the spread of cancer cells.

Alectinib is available as a pill to ingest. It is typically taken twice daily with food. Alectinib should be taken every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Administer alectinib exactly as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Do not open or dissolve the capsules; instead, swallow them whole.

Do not take another dose of alectinib right away if you vomit after taking it. Continue taking your medication as usual.

In the event that you suffer certain alectinib side effects, your doctor may decide to temporarily or permanently stop your therapy or reduce your dose. Inform your doctor of your feelings as you receive treatment. Even if you feel fine, keep taking alectinib. Without first consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking alectinib.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking alectinib,

• If you have an allergy to alectinib, any other drugs, or any of the ingredients in alectinib capsules, let your doctor and pharmacist know right once. Request a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Any medicine used to treat heart disease or high blood pressure should be mentioned. Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• If you have liver illness, breathing or lung issues, a slow or irregular heartbeat, or any combination of these, let your doctor know.
• Inform your doctor if you intend to father a child, are pregnant, or think you could get pregnant. Pregnancy should be avoided while taking alectinib. Use an effective method of birth control if you’re a female while taking alectinib and for at least a week following your last dosage. If you are a man, you should use reliable birth control while taking alectinib and for three months following your last dose. The same goes for your female spouse. Call your doctor right away if you or your partner becomes pregnant while taking alectinib. The foetus could suffer from alectinib.
• Inform your doctor if you are nursing a baby. While using alectinib and for one week following your last dose, you shouldn’t breastfeed.
• While using alectinib and for at least 7 days following your last dosage, make a plan to prevent unnecessary or extended exposure to sunlight (including sunlamps and tanning beds) and to wear protective clothes, sunglasses, and sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 50. Your skin could become sun-sensitive if you take alettinib.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

Ignore the missed dose and carry on with my normal dosing routine. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

There may be adverse consequences from alectinib. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Hands, face, or eyelids swelling
• Headache
• Weight gain
• Rash

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you encounter any of these signs or any of the ones in the “SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS” section:

• New or deteriorating cough, breathing issues, or shortness of breath
• Fever
• Unexpected chest ache
• Fainting, feeling lightheaded, or dizzy
• Vision alters
• Muscle ache, soreness, or a sudden loss of strength
• Back ache
• Tiredness
• Rash
• Skin itch
• Reduced appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Skin colour or eye whites turning yellow
• Your right side of your stomach is hurting.
• Your urine’s volume or colour changing
• Legs or feet swelling that is new or getting worse
• Bruising or bleeding more frequently than usual

Other negative effects of alectinib are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Store it away from light, excessive heat, and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To monitor your body’s reaction to alectinib, your doctor will periodically examine your heart rate, blood pressure, and request specific lab tests.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.