What are the consequences of stopping cabozantinib?

Discontinuation of cabozantinib may have a range of consequences depending on the reason for discontinuation, the length of discontinuation, and the patient's specific condition.

Caboozantinib has a long half-life of approximately55 hours. Therefore, in the case of short-term drug withdrawal (such as within a few days), since the concentration of the drug in the body is still maintained at a certain level, the inhibitory effect on tumor cells still exists, which usually does not have a significant impact on the efficacy. However, if the drug is stopped for too long, the drug concentration will gradually decrease, which may lead to the redevelopment of tumor cells and increased resistance to cabozantinib.

During drug withdrawal, tumor cells have a chance to develop again. Especially if the drug is stopped for a long time, the disease may rebound, that is, the tumor may start to grow or spread again.

Prolonged discontinuation may cause tumor cells to become resistant to cabozantinib, meaning that when patients are given cabozantinib again, the drug may no longer be effective. If the drug is stopped because the patient's condition worsens or a serious adverse reaction occurs, stopping the drug may accelerate the progression of the disease. Without effective treatment, tumors may continue to grow, causing the patient's health to deteriorate further.

Some patients may find that adverse reactions previously caused by cabozantinib (such as diarrhea, fatigue, hypertension, etc.) are relieved after stopping the drug. This is because the drug concentration gradually decreases in the body, thereby reducing the occurrence of adverse reactions.

However, these adverse effects may reoccur when cabozantinib is restarted. In addition, restarting medication may cause some new discomforts and adverse reactions, such as fatigue, nausea, etc.