Who is capmatinib suitable for?

Capmatinib is a targeted drug manufactured by Novartis for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) exon 14 skipping mutations.

Who is capmatinib suitable for?

Capmatinib is indicated for patients with certain types of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly those harboring exon 14 skipping mutations of the MET gene (METex14). These mutations in the MET gene cause overexpression or activation of the MET protein, which in turn promotes the growth and spread of cancer cells. As a selective MET inhibitor, capmatinib can effectively block these abnormally active signaling pathways and inhibit the proliferation and survival of cancer cells.

These patients tend to respond poorly to traditional chemotherapy or immunotherapy, and capmatinib is able to directly target mutated genes in tumor cells, showing better results in controlling tumor growth.

Doctors usually consider capmatinib after genetic testing to confirm the presence of the mutation to improve survival and quality of life.

What are the precautions for capmatinib?

Capmatinib is a prescription drug that patients should use under the guidance of a physician and should be aware of the following when using it:

1. Hepatotoxicity

Capmatinib may cause toxic effects on the liver, and during treatment, regular liver function tests and monitoring of liver enzyme levels and other indicators must help detect potential liver damage early.

If liver function is abnormal, doctors may need to take measures depending on the severity of the injury, including temporarily stopping the drug, adjusting the dose, or, in severe cases, permanently stopping capmatinib, in order to prevent further liver damage and protect the patient's overall health.

2. Embryo-fetal toxicity

Capmatinib is embryo-fetal toxic and can cause serious harm to the fetus. Female patients of childbearing age who use the drug should be counseled about this risk and advised to use effective contraception to avoid pregnancy. If the patient becomes pregnant during the treatment period, it may have adverse effects on the fetus.

Physicians should inform patients of the potential risks to the fetus before taking capmatinib and ensure that patients understand and follow contraceptive recommendations. If pregnancy occurs during the medication, the patient should immediately inform the doctor for appropriate management and intervention to minimize the harm to the fetus.

[Warm Tips]: Patients should also pay attention to follow the doctor's medication instructions, take the medication on time and in accordance with the amount, and should not change the dosage or stop the medication at will.