Cancer drugs A to Z list
Erlotinib is also known as Tarceva. For advanced pancreatic cancer you may have it alongside the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine. You might also have erlotinb as part of a clinical trial for another type of cancer.
Find out more about clinical trials
Erlotinib is a which is a type of cancer growth blocker. It blocks proteins on cancer cells that encourage the cancer to grow.
These proteins are called . If you have a cancer that has these receptors you are EGFR positive. You have tests on your cancer cells to check for these receptors before you have this treatment.
Erlotinib can help shrink the cancer or stop it growing for a time.
Erlotinib is a tablet. You take it once a day, at least 1 hour before eating, or 2 hours after eating.
Speak to your pharmacist if you have problems swallowing the tablets.
Whether you have a full or an empty stomach can affect how much of a drug gets into your bloodstream.
You should take the right dose, no more or less.
Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug or if you miss a dose.
You continue taking erlotinib for as long as it is still 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:
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.
Less commonly you might have cracked skin (skin fissures),swelling around the fingernails, infection in the hair follicles, or acne.
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.
You might not feel like eating and may lose weight. Eating several small meals and snacks throughout the day can be easier to manage. You can talk to a dietitian if you are concerned about your appetite or weight loss.
Mouth sores and ulcers can be painful. It helps to keep your mouth and teeth clean, drink plenty of fluids and avoid acidic foods such as lemons. Chewing gum can help to keep your mouth moist. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have ulcers.
You might develop a cough or breathing problems. This could be due to infection, such as pneumonia or inflammation of the lungs (pneumonitis).
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.
Rarely your liver may stop working properly.
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.
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.
Tell your healthcare team if you keep getting headaches. They can give you painkillers to help.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you’re feeling depressed. They can arrange for you to talk to someone and give treatment if necessary.
Tiredness and weakness (fatigue) can happen during and after treatment. Doing gentle exercises each day can keep your energy up. Don't push yourself, rest when you start to feel tired and ask others for help.
Tell your treatment team if you have this. They can check the cause and give you medicine to help.
Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have indigestion or heartburn. They can prescribe medicines to help.
You may pass more wind than usual.
Tell your healthcare team straightaway if you get a high temperature. Ask them if you can take paracetamol to help lower your temperature.
Contact your advice line if you have diarrhoea. For example, in one day you have 2 or more loose bowel movements than usual. If you have a , you might have more output than normal. Your doctor may give you anti diarrhoea medicine to take home with you after treatment.
Try to eat small meals and snacks regularly. It’s best to try to have a healthy balanced diet if you can. You don’t necessarily need to stop eating foods that contain fibre. But if your diet is normally very high in fibre, it might help to cut back on high fibre foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bran and raw vegetables.
Drink plenty to try and replace the fluid lost. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses per day.
You might have eye problems including feeling gritty, burning, itchy, sore, red, itchy, dry, watery and sticky. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have this. They can give you eye drops or other medication to help.
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:
nosebleeds or you might have blood in your poo (it may look dark or black)
changes to how your kidneys work - you will have regular blood tests to check for this
hair thinning or hair loss
your skin might develop darker patches (hyperpigmentation)
This side effects happens in fewer than 1 in 100 people (fewer than 1%).
a hole in the stomach or bowel
you might notice you have more hair growth in different areas of the body
soreness, redness or peeling on hands or soles of the feet (palmar plantar syndrome)
high levels of protein in urine – you might have urine tests to check for this
your nails becoming brittle and loose
a severe skin reaction that may start as tender red patches which leads to peeling or blistering of the skin. You might also feel feverish and your eyes may be more sensitive to light. This is serious and could be life threatening
lung changes which might cause breathlessness or cough
liver failure
your eyelashes may grow inwards or grow longer
ulcers on your eye
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.
Try not to smoke during treatment as it can lower the amount of this drug in your blood.
This drug may harm a baby developing in your womb. It is important not to become pregnant or get someone pregnant while you are having treatment with this drug and for at least 2 weeks 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 treatment affects in people. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
Don’t breastfeed during this treatment and for 2 weeks after your last dose, because the drug may come through into your breast milk.
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: 22 Feb 2024
Next review due: 22 Feb 2027
Lung cancer starts in the windpipe (trachea), the main airway (bronchus) or the lung tissue. Cancer that starts in the lung is called primary lung cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is cancer that starts in the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland that produces digestive juices and hormones. Find out about symptoms, tests you might have to diagnose it, treatment and about living with it.
Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.
Cancer growth blockers are also called cancer growth inhibitors. They are a type of targeted cancer drug. They aim to stop cancer cells from growing. There are many different types.
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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