A specific kind of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread to the body is treated with ceritinib. The drug ceritinib 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.

Ceritinib is available as a tablet and a capsule for oral consumption. Once a day, it is often taken with food. Ceritinib should be taken every day at about the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Just as prescribed, take ceritinib. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Never take more ceritinib if you vomit after taking it. Maintain your usual dosage routine.

Throughout your therapy, your doctor may tell you to stop taking ceritinib for a while, reduce your ceritinib dosage, treat you with additional medications, or do all three. The effectiveness of the medication for you and any adverse effects you may encounter will determine this. While you receive ceritinib treatment, be sure to discuss your feelings with your doctor.

Inquire with your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug may be prescribed for other purposes.

Before taking ceritinib,

• If you have any allergies, including to ceritinib, other drugs, or any of the substances in ceritinib capsules or tablets, notify your doctor right away. Get 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. Incorporate any of the following: Anticoagulants (also known as “blood thinners”) such warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), amiodarone (Nexterone, Pacerone), anagrelide (Agrylin), atenolol (Tenormin), labetalol (Normodyne), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), and sotalol (Betapace, Sorine, Sotylize) are beta blockers. Other beta blockers include carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol, Teril); a few HIV/AIDS drugs, including efavirenz (Sustiva, in Atripla), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), nevirapine (Viramune), ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra), and saquinavir (Invirase); chloroquine; chlorpromazine; diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac), cilostazol, ciprofloxacin (Cipro), citalopram (Celexa), clarithromycin, clonidine (Catapres, Kapvay), corticosteroids, cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin (Lanoxin), disopyramide (Norpace), dofetilide (Tikosyn); flecainide (Tambocor); fluconazole (Diflucan); haloperidol (Haldol); escitalopram (Lexapro); fentanyl (Abstral, Actiq, Duragesic, Fentora, Subsys); itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox, Tolsura); ketoconazole; levofloxacin; nefazodone, ondansetron (Zuplenz, Zofran), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), moxifloxacin (Avelox), pentamidine (Pentam), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), pimozide (Orap); procainamide, quinidine (in Nuedexta), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifater), tacrolimus (Astagraf, Prograf), pioglitazone (Actos, in Duetact, Oseni), sildenafil (Revatio), sirolimus (Rapamune), thioridazine, vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan). Ceritinib may interact with a wide range of other drugs, so be sure to let your doctor know about everything you’re taking, even those not on this list. Your doctor might need to adjust your medication doses or keep a close eye out for any negative side effects.
• Please let your doctor know if you are taking any herbal supplements, especially St. John’s Wort.
• Inform your doctor if you have diabetes, high blood sugar, heart failure, an irregular heartbeat, QT prolongation (an irregular heartbeat that can cause fainting, loss of consciousness, seizures, or sudden death), low blood potassium or magnesium levels, pancreatitis (pancreatic inflammation), or liver disease.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, inform your doctor right away. Pregnancy should not occur when taking ceritinib. Before beginning therapy, you must have a pregnancy test, and you must take birth control to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving treatment and for at least six months after your last dosage. Use birth control to avoid pregnancy if you’re a male with a female partner who might get pregnant both during treatment and for at least three months following your last dosage. Discuss effective birth control options with your doctor. Ceritinib might be harmful to the unborn child. Call your doctor right away if you or your partner become pregnant while taking ceritinib.
• Inform your doctor if you are nursing a baby. While using ceritinib and for at least two weeks following your last dose, you shouldn’t breastfeed.
• You should let your doctor or dentist know that you are taking ceritinib if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
• You should be aware that while taking this drug, hyperglycemia (an rise in blood sugar) is possible. While using ceritinib, report any of the following symptoms to your doctor right away: excessive hunger, extreme thirst, impaired vision, headaches, difficulty thinking or focusing, breath that smells like fruit, or exhaustion.

Avoid eating or drinking grapefruit while taking this medication.

As soon as you recall, take the missed dose. Skip the missed dose and carry on with your regular dosing plan, though, if it is less than 12 hours until your next dose. Never take two doses at once to make up for missing ones.

Ceritinib could have negative effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Having trouble swallowing
• Reduced appetite
• Slim down
• Fatigue
• Rash
• Itching
• Alterations to vision
• Back, arm, leg, muscle, or bone discomfort
• Headache

Some adverse effects may be severe. Call your doctor right away if you notice any of the following symptoms or any of those detailed in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section:

• Stomach ache in the right upper portion
• Significant bruising or bleeding
• Dark faeces
• Eyes and skin that have become yellow
• Reduction in appetite
• Flu-like signs
• Itching
• Breathing difficulty
• Infection-related symptoms like a fever, chills, sore throat, persistent coughing and congestion
• Chest discomfort or agony
• Alterations in heartbeat
• Heart flutters
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Fainting
• Persistent stomach or back ache that starts in the upper left or middle and occasionally spreads to the back
• Seizures

Further negative effects of ceritinib 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. Keep 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 Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Although 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

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To monitor how your body is responding to ceritinib, your doctor will request a number of lab tests. Before you start your treatment, your doctor will also request a lab test to determine whether ceritinib can treat your cancer.

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.