What are the side effects of Osimertinib/Tagressa? Will my face become swollen?

Osimertinib/Tagrisso (Osimertinib) is a targeted drug for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Its main function is to inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells. However, this drug may also cause some side effects; common side effects of osimertinib include:

1. Digestive system abnormalities: May cause nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, constipation, stomatitis and other symptoms. It is recommended that patients avoid spicy and irritating foods during treatment, and eat small, frequent meals and a light diet.

2. Skin reaction: May cause dry skin, rash, itching and other symptoms. Once a rash occurs, the medication must be stopped immediately and seek medical attention promptly. In addition, some patients may develop bullous skin disease, in which blisters may appear on the skin. After the blisters rupture, symptoms such as erosion, scabs, or scaling may occur.

3. Eye diseases: May cause adverse reactions such as keratitis, eye pain, blurred vision, dry eye syndrome, cataracts, blepharitis, and floaters.

4. Respiratory system: Since osimertinib may inhibit the growth of tracheal epithelial cells and aggravate the damage to lung function, patients may develop complications such as interstitial lung disease and pneumonia during use. If this happens, the patient should find out the cause in time and stop taking the medication under the guidance of a doctor.

5. Cardiovascular system: Osimertinib may cause prolongation of the QT interval of the electrocardiogram, frequent syncope and other serious adverse reactions, and may also cause decreased cardiac ejection fraction, heart failure and other phenomena.

6. In addition, osimertinib may also cause other reactions, such as cough, fatigue, headache, damage to cardiac function, and even adverse reactions such as infectious pneumonia and venous thromboembolism.

As for facial swelling, it may be one of the side effects of osimertinib. Drinking large amounts of water in a short period of time, especially at night, and failing to excrete it in time may lead to physiological edema. In addition, the drug itself may cause reduced immunity and facial swelling. In most patients, facial swelling will gradually subside after they stop taking the medication.