How does Alecensa work?
Alecensa works to slow down the growth and spread of non-small cell lung cancer by blocking a protein called anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK protein).
A small percentage of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a fault in their ALK gene (anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene) that causes it to make an abnormal protein that helps NSCLC grow and spread. By inhibiting the ALK protein, Alecensa reduces the growth of ALK positive metastatic NSCLC.
Alecensa is only used in metastatic NSCLC that has been tested and confirmed to be ALK positive.
References
- Alecensa Medication Information: https://www.drugs.com/alecensa.html
- Alecensa Health Professional Information: https://www.drugs.com/pro/alecensa.html
- Alectinib: a review of its use in advanced ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25428710/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25428710/
Read next
Related medical questions
- How effective is Alecensa for ALK-positive NSCLC?
- How long do you take Alecensa for?
- What is Alecensa used to treat?
- How aggressive is non-small cell lung cancer?
- Does smoking cause non-small cell lung cancer?
- What type of lung cancer is Vizimpro used to treat?
- What type of cancer is Tecentriq used to treat?
- How long does it take for Keytruda to work?
- Why give Taxol (Paxel) before carboplatin?
- What is the difference between Opdivo and Keytruda?
- Pembrolizumab vs. nivolumab: How do they compare?
- What is Paxel called in the USA?
- How effective is Lumakras, what's the survival rate?
- How effective is Tabrecta?
- How does erlotinib work (mechanism of action)?
- How does Retevmo work?
- Will Tabrecta cure lung cancer?
- How long can I take Gilotrif (afatinib) for?
- What is the difference between Mvasi and Avastin?
- Are there cost-saving programs for Tecentriq?
- Is Tabrecta a chemotherapy drug?
- Can Tarceva (erlotinib) cure lung cancer?
- Is Gilotrif (afatinib) a chemotherapy drug?
- Is atezolizumab (Tecentriq) a chemotherapy or immunotherapy drug?
- How effective is atezolizumab (Tecentriq)?
- How do Exkivity and Rybrevant compare for NSCLC?
- How does Gilotrif (afatinib) work?
- How does pemetrexed work?
- How does Rybrevant work?
- How effective is Exkivity (mobocertinib) for NSCLC?
Drug information
- Alecensa Information for Consumers
- Alecensa prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Alecensa (detailed)
Related support groups
- Alecensa (5 questions, 4 members)
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (52 questions, 70 members)