Anti-cancer medication guidance: Are the side effects of cabozantinib serious?

Cabozantinib (Cabozantinib) has been evaluated in a variety of solid tumors. In 2016, cabozantinib tablets were approved in the United States for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cancer who have previously received anti-angiogenic therapy. In the same year, cabozantinib was approved in the EU for the treatment of adults with advanced renal cancer who have previously received VEGFR-targeted therapy. Cabozantinib capsules are also approved for the treatment of progressive, metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).

Adverse events (AEs) associated with cabozantinib include diarrhea, fatigue, hypertension, dermatological manifestations such as hand-foot syndrome (HFS), weight loss and appetite, stomatitis, and nausea. These adverse events may have a negative impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and may require dose reduction or interruption of the drug to manage these adverse events. The label also warns of the risk of blood clots forming and leading to heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure (including hypertensive crisis), osteonecrosis of the jaw, severe diarrhea, loss of skin on the palms and soles of the feet, a syndrome with headache, confusion, vision loss and seizures, and the presence of protein in the urine.

The original drug Cabozantinib is not marketed in the country and therefore cannot be included in medical insurance. The original cabozantinib drug marketed overseas includes Japanese, European and Turkish versions. The price of tablets may be more than 30,000 yuan, and the price of capsule preparations may be more than 40,000 yuan (prices may fluctuate due to exchange rates). There are also generic drugs produced in other countries overseas, and their pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drugs. For example, the price of pharmaceuticals produced by Bangladeshi pharmaceutical factories may be more than 2,000 yuan (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate), which is relatively cheap.