Cancer drugs A to Z list
Regorafenib is a targeted cancer drug. You pronounce it as re-gor-af-e-nib. It is also known as Stivarga.
Regorafenib is a treatment for:
that is or can’t be removed with surgery (unresectable)
advanced cancer that started in the liver ( liver cancer)
advanced bowel cancer
Find out more about treatment for your cancer type
Regorafenib is a type of called a cancer growth blocker. It works in two ways. It stops:
signals that tell cancer cells to grow
cancer cells forming new , which they need to be able to grow
Find out more about cancer growth blockers
Regorafenib are tablets you take once a day.
You take regorafenib at the same time each day. You swallow the tablets with a drink of water and after a low fat meal. A low fat meal means less than 30% fat.
Examples of a low fat meal are:
1 portion of cereal (about 30g)
1 glass of skimmed milk
1 slice of toast with jam
1 glass of apple juice
1 cup of coffee or tea
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 usually take regorafenib every day for 3 weeks. Then you have a week with no treatment. This 4 week period is called a .
You then start the cycle again.
Regorafenib may shrink the cancer or stop it growing for a time. You usually take regorafenib for as long as the treatment is working and you are not experiencing too many side effects.
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Before treatment starts you may have a blood test to check for viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. This is called a viral screen.
It’s important for your doctor to know if you have had any of these viruses. This is because this treatment can weaken your and can cause the virus to become active again (reactivation).
This treatment can affect how your works. You may have regular tests to check your thyroid function.
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 . 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.
Tell your healthcare team straight away if you get a high temperature. Ask them if you can take paracetamol to help lower your temperature.
You might be breathless and look pale due to a drop in . This is called anaemia.
This is due to a drop in the number of platelets in your blood. These blood cells help the blood to clot when we cut ourselves. You may have nosebleeds or bleeding gums after brushing your teeth. Or you may have lots of tiny red spots or bruises on your arms or legs. This is known as petechiae.
This drug can cause severe bleeding from anywhere in the body this can include the , lungs, kidneys, mouth, vagina and brain. Contact 999 or go the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department straight away if you get the following symptoms:
passing blood in your poo or passing black poo
passing blood when you pee
coughing or vomiting up blood
a sudden, severe thunderclap headache
if there is any bleeding that is heavy and uncontrollable
You might have liver changes that are picked up on blood tests. On rare occasions there might be liver damage which can be severe.
Symptoms of liver problems can include yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, pain on the right side of your abdomen, a swollen tummy and feeling or being sick.
You have regular blood tests to check for any changes in the way your liver is working. Contact your healthcare team if you have any of these symptoms.
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.
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.
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 . 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.
is easier to sort out if you treat it early. Drink plenty and eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you can. Try to take gentle exercise, such as walking. Tell your healthcare team if you think you are constipated. They can give you a if needed.
Your voice might get husky or croaky and sound weaker. This can last for a while after your treatment.
Your blood pressure might go up with this treatment. Rarely you might have a sudden, severe increase in blood pressure. You have your blood pressure checked regularly.
Tell your healthcare team if you have headaches, nosebleeds, blurred or double vision, confusion, feeling or being sick or shortness of breath.
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.
A less common side effect you might have is a dry mouth.
Skin problems include a skin rash or hand-foot reaction. This means the skin on your hands and feet may become sore, peel or appear red in colour on white skin. On black or brown skin, the area may appear darker. You may also have tingling, numbness, pain and dryness.
Less commonly you might get dry skin or a rash on most of the skin that is inflamed. It can cause scaling, peeling or be an intense red on white skin. On black or brown skin, the rash may look darker, purple or grey.
Rarely you might develop target like rashes that are raised, they can feel itchy and burn.
A very rare side effect is 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.
Let your healthcare team know of any skin changes that develop. They might be able to prescribe medicine to help or give advice on what creams to use to look after your skin.
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.
You may have some pain in different parts of your body including your tummy (abdomen) and back. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have any pain, they can give medicine 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:
low levels of minerals in your blood
high levels of a waste product called in the blood
indigestion and heartburn
loss of body fluid (dehydration)
numbness or tingling in fingers or toes. This is often temporary and improves after treatment finishes
stiffness or muscles spasms
a drop in thyroid hormone levels which can make you feel tired, unable to cope with the cold and you might get muscle cramps
loss of hair. This usually starts to grow back after you have stopped taking the drug
headaches
of your stomach or bowel - symptoms can include diarrhoea, feeling or being sick, fever, loss of appetite, stomach cramps and aching arms or legs
protein in pee – your pee is checked for protein before each cycle of treatment
shaking (tremor)
taste changes
high levels of made by the
These side effects happen in fewer than 1 in 100 people (less than 1%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
a or chest pain
changes to your nails. They can get weak, split or develop ridges
an allergic reaction that can cause rash, shortness of breath, redness or swelling of the face and dizziness - some allergic reactions can be life threatening. Alert your nurse if you notice any of these symptoms
a skin cancer called non melanoma squamous cell carcinoma
inflammation of the pancreas causing stomach pain, feeling sick or being sick, a high temperature or you may have loose poo
a hole in the wall of your bowel or stomach - contact your doctor straight away if you have pain, severe cramps, feeling tightness or bloating in the stomach area
a rare disorder of the nerves causing headaches, fits, confusion and changes in vision - contact your healthcare team straight away. This condition is usually reversible
blood clots in the small blood vessels that can be very serious
a affecting the stomach and bowel
There isn't enough information to work out how often these side effects might happen. You might have one or more of them. They include:
a condition where there is a build up of ammonia in the blood and it causes the brain to swell (hyperammonemic encephalopathy). Symptoms include changes to behaviour, being sick regularly, seizures (fits), feeling extremely tired and poor muscle control
a tear or weakening of the blood vessel wall. This could be very serious as the tear could get bigger or the weakening could tear causing bleeding
slow wound healing
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We do not list these interactions on this page. 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.
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 8 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 drug comes through into the breast milk. Doctors usually advise that you don’t breastfeed during this 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.
If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.
Do not have live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. For some people, it may be longer than this. The length of time you need to avoid live vaccines depends on the treatment you’ve had.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, chickenpox, BCG, and yellow fever. You can usually have non-live vaccines. But they might not give you as much protection as usual. These include the:
flu vaccine, as an injection
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.
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: 17 Sept 2026
Next review due: 17 Sept 2029
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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.
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