Perspectives of Clinical Pharmacist on Erlotinib-Related Drug Interactions

Kamer TECEN*, Aygin BAYRAKTAR-EKİNCİOĞLU*°

* Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eczacılık Fakültesi Klinik Eczacılık Anabilim Dalı, Ankara-TÜRKİYE

°Corresponding Author:
Phone: 05323550746
E-mail: aygin@hacettepe.edu.tr

 

Summary

Erlotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor which is one of the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors and its use in cancer treatment increases recently. Since the main metabolisation pathway of erlotinib is via the Cytochrome P450 enzyme system in liver, it becomes one of the important drug with a high potential for drug interactions. The solubility of erlotinib is pH dependent, therefore concurrent use of acid suppressing agents can alter the bioavailability of erlotinib. Drug interactions observed with erlotinib treatment are common in clinical practice and affects the treatment process. An involvement of clinical pharmacist in the monitoring of treatment will help to prevent those interactions. In this review, it is aimed to give information about clinically important drug interactions and management of these interactions in a view of current literature.

Key Words :
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, erlotinib, drug interactions, clinical pharmacist.