Cancer drugs A to Z list
Crizotinib is a type of targeted cancer drug called a cancer growth blocker. It is a treatment for advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Crizotinib is for NSCLC that has changes in either a called anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) or ROS1. Your doctor checks your cancer for these gene changes.
Crizotinib is a type of cancer growth blocker called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking certain chemical messengers that tell cells to grow.
Crizotinib can block the signals from the ALK and ROS1 gene change. This stops or slows cancer growth and can cause cancer cells to die.
Read more about cancer growth blockers
Crizotinib is a capsule. You swallow it whole with a glass of water. You can have it with or without food.
You should take the right dose, not more or less.
Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug or if you miss a dose.
You take crizotinib twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
You usually take crizotinib for as long as it is working and the side effects aren’t too bad.
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatments you're having.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
you have severe side effects
your side effects aren’t getting any better
your side effects are getting worse
Early treatment can help manage side effects better.
We haven't listed all the side effects here. Talk to your healthcare team if you have any new symptoms that you think might be a side effect of your treatment.
Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects. But you might have some of them at the same time.
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
Increased risk of getting an infection is due to a drop in white blood cells. Symptoms include a change in temperature, aching muscles, cough, headaches, feeling cold and shivery, pain or a burning feeling when peeing, or generally feeling unwell. You might have other symptoms depending on where the infection is.
Infections can sometimes be life threatening. You should contact your advice line urgently if you think you have an infection.
Changes to your eyesight include seeing flashes of light or moving shapes or shadows (floaters), or having blurred or double vision. These side effects often start within the first week of starting treatment and are usually mild. Call your hospital advice line if you have any changes to your eyesight.
Feeling or being sick is usually well controlled with anti sickness medicines. It might help to avoid fatty or fried foods, eat small meals and snacks and take regular sips of water. Relaxation techniques might also help.
It is important to take anti sickness medicines as prescribed even if you don’t feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness rather than treat it once it has started.
Tell your healthcare team if you have diarrhoea or constipation. They can give you medicine to help.
A build up of fluid may cause swelling in your arms, hands, ankles, legs, face and other parts of the body. Contact your healthcare team if this happens to you.
You might have liver changes that are usually mild and unlikely to cause symptoms. They usually go back to normal when treatment finishes.
You have regular blood tests to check for any changes in the way your liver is working.
You might feel very tired and as though you lack energy.
Various things can help you to reduce tiredness and cope with it, for example exercise. Some research has shown that taking gentle exercise can give you more energy. It is important to balance exercise with resting.
You might lose your appetite for various reasons while having cancer treatment. Sickness, taste changes or tiredness can put you off food and drinks.
Let your doctor know if you feel dizzy or faint. It could be a sign of changes to your heart rhythm.
Numbness or tingling in fingers or toes is often temporary and can improve after you finish treatment. Tell your healthcare team if you're finding it difficult to walk or complete fiddly tasks such as doing up buttons.
Taste changes may make you go off certain foods and drinks. You may also find that some foods taste different from usual or that you prefer to eat spicier foods. Your taste gradually returns to normal a few weeks after your treatment finishes.
Tell your treatment team if you have this. They can check the cause and give you medicine to help.
You might be breathless and look pale due to a drop in red blood cells. This is called anaemia.
Call your hospital advice line if you feel short of breath.
Your doctor or nurse checks your heart rate (pulse) and rhythm regularly during treatment.
Call your hospital advice line if you feel dizzy or faint, tire easily or are short of breath.
Skin problems include a skin rash, dry skin and itching. This usually goes back to normal when your treatment finishes. Your healthcare team can tell you what products you can use on your skin to help.
Contact your advice line if the rash is red, painful or itchy or looks like acne.
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
inflammation or scarring and stiffness of the lungs – tell your doctor if you have shortness of breath or a cough
indigestion
high levels of creatinine in the blood which may show that your kidneys are not working properly
low phosphate levels in the blood which can cause confusion or muscle weakness
area of fluid (cyst) or pus (abscess) in the kidney
inflammation of the food pipe (oesophagus) which may cause pain or difficulty when swallowing
low levels of the hormone testosterone
heart failure – let your doctor know if you have shortness of breath and swelling in your ankles
feeling faint or fainting
changes to how your heart works
These side effects happen in fewer than 1 in 100 people (fewer than 1%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
a hole (perforation) in the stomach or bowel
liver failure
kidney failure
sensitivity to sunlight (burn more easily)
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
Read more about how to cope with side effects
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We are unable to list all the possible interactions that may happen. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.
Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies you may have.
It is not known whether this treatment affects in people. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
This drug may harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to become pregnant or get someone pregnant while you are having treatment with this drug and for at least 3 months afterwards.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception before starting treatment. Let them know straight away if you or your partner become pregnant while having treatment.
It is not known whether this drug comes through into the breast milk. Doctors usually advise that you don’t breastfeed during this treatment.
If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.
Don’t have immunisations with live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. The length of time depends on the treatment you are having.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, BCG, and yellow fever.
You can usually have:
other vaccines, but they might not give you as much protection as usual
the flu vaccine (as an injection)
the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the best time to have a vaccine in relation to your cancer treatment.
You can be in contact with other people who have had live vaccines as injections. If someone has had a live vaccine by mouth or nasal spray there may be a small risk the vaccine virus can be passed onto you if your is weakened.
Your healthcare team will let you know if you need to take any precautions if you are in close contact with someone who has had a live vaccine.
Read more about immunisations and cancer treatment
For further information about this treatment and possible side effects go to the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website. You can find the patient information leaflet on this website.
You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.
Last reviewed: 05 Jun 2023
Next review due: 05 Jun 2026
Metastatic lung cancer means that the cancer has spread from where it started in the lung to other parts of the body. It is also called advanced lung cancer.
Cancer drugs have side effects and these can vary from person to person. But there are things that you can do to help you cope.
Targeted cancer drugs work by ‘targeting’ the differences that help a cancer cell to survive and grow. They are one of the main treatments for some cancers.
Coping with cancer can be difficult. There is help and support available. Find out about the emotional, physical and practical effects of cancer and how to manage them.
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