Gefitinib vs Other Lung Cancer Medications: What Makes Iressa Unique?

 

What are Iressa 250mg tablets?

Iressa 250mg tablet contains Gefitinib as its primary active ingredient. This medication is a targeted EGFR (mutated) inhibitor that is used to treat certain types of non-small lung cancer that meet certain criteria of genetic mutation. EGFR, or epidermal growth factor receptors, are found in the cells of the breasts and lungs. They become cancerous through certain genetic mutations that change the structure of the receptor. This medication targets only the mutated receptors, thereby reducing the growth of the cancer and limiting or cutting off the blood vessels that may be present in them.

What are Some Precautions You Need to Follow While Taking Iressa 250mg tablets?

Here are some things you need to be careful about while you are on this medication:

Let your doctor know about your medical history, especially if you have any of the following conditions:

• Lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis.

• A severe kidney disease

• Issues with your eye

• Stomach or intestinal problems such as diverticulitis, blockage in the bowel, etc.

• If you smoke  

You should not become pregnant while you are on this medication as it may harm the fetus. Use a reliable form of birth control if you are on this medication, and if you do become pregnant, discuss it with your doctor immediately about it.

Make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients present in the medication, as it may produce a severe allergic reaction. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about any existing allergies you are aware of.

What are the Side Effects of Iressa 250mg tablets?

Gefitinib 250mg Tablets usually have fewer side effects than other traditional treatments for lung cancer. However, they may cause some significant side effects. It is important to know them so that you can make the best decision for yourself.

Some of the most common side effects of this medication may include:

• Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting  

• Rash, acne, or dry skin

• Loss of appetite

• Nail problems or hair loss

• Symptoms of the common cold

• Weakness

And some serious side effects of this medication that one may experience are:

• A severe allergic reaction may present with hives, anaphylaxis, dizziness, and swelling.

• Interstitial lung disease: This illness can be possibly fatal. You should immediately see your doctor if you have shortness of breath, jaundice, a cough, or a fever.

• Kidney problems: Changes in the amount of urine

• Unusual or abnormal bleeding may also include coughing up blood, blood in urine or stool.

• Eye irritation or pain

• Swelling of the feet and ankles

It is important to keep your doctor updated about all the side effects that you are experiencing and their severity as well. Sometimes, they will provide other medication to soothe some side effects. You can also research Generic Iressa 250mg Tablets Online in more detail.

What are the Different Types Of Lung Cancers?

These are some of the most common types of lung cancer to occur in the human body. They usually differ in size, speed of growth, and the kind of mutations they undergo. There are many factors that determine the type of cancer.

Non-Small Lung Cancer:

This is the most common type of lung cancer. It grows at a steady rate and is usually of three types: adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, which are named after the position and the cells they affect. They are usually taken out through surgery.

Lung Nodules:

Lung nodules refer to small masses of tissue that form in and around the lungs. They are usually benign (they do not spread) but can also be metastatic or precancerous. Usually, larger nodules are more cancerous than smaller ones.

Small Cell Lung Cancer:

The most prevalent type of small cell cancer is the oat cell type cancer. It is also known as small-cell carcinoma. A significant majority of cases of small cell lung cancer occur due to smoking cigarettes. It is a fast-growing cancer, which is often worse than non-small lung cancers.

Mesothelioma:

This form of lung cancer affects the chest lining of the lungs and is mostly caused by exposure to asbestos. This is a slow-growing cancer that develops over a period of 30 to 50 years between first exposure to asbestos and the development of the cancer.

Note: These are not all the types of lung cancers that occur.

What are the Different Types of Treatments for Lung Cancer?

Surgery:

Doctors usually perform an invasive or non-invasive procedure that involves physically removing the cancerous cells from the body. They go in and cut out the cancerous masses. However, this procedure can only be performed in cancers that will have a good field of view and are not near any vital organs that may run the risk of causing severe damage.

Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy requires a person to take medication that shrinks or terminates the cancer. This medicine can be administered orally or injected into your veins. Sometimes, both forms of chemotherapy are given to a patient depending on their condition.

Radiation Therapy:

Radiation therapy encompasses the use of a high-powered ray, similar to that of X-rays, to be targeted at a cancer to shrink it. This form of treatment is most commonly used with chemotherapy to produce optimal results.

Targeted Therapy:

Targeted therapy involves medications that specifically target and block the growth of cells that have mutated and become cancerous. This medication is a fairly new way of treatment.

There is an array of options available on the market for cancer treatment, but to achieve the best results, you should talk to your doctor and discuss the right course of treatment. It is usually a good idea to explore your options with your oncologist and decide on the right treatment mutually.

Conclusion

The global medical industry is working hard to find a better cure for cancer, and we will be seeing more and more breakthroughs in the near future. However, at the present moment, we have an array of long-term treatment options from which we need to choose. Surgery is usually the fastest form of treatment but risks small bits of cancer being left behind and proliferating. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, possesses a massive list of side effects and chances that the cancer may reoccur. Doctors most often use a combination of treatments to get the optimal result for every individual. This choice is made after extensive research and analysis of your condition. The process of eliminating and defeating cancer is a hard one, but certainly one worth fighting.

FAQs:

1. How does Gefitinib (Iressa) work differently from traditional chemotherapy?

Most healthy cells of an area are also killed in the process of eliminating cancer in traditional forms of cancer treatment; however, unlike traditional chemotherapy, gefitinib only targets cancerous cells that have the epidermal growth factor receptor mutation. This makes it easier to ignore healthy cells in the body, which was an issue in traditional treatments.

2. What type of lung cancer is Iressa most effective for?

This medication is most effective for non-small lung carcinoma or non-small lung cancer that has metastasized as it blocks the tyrosine kinase and stops the growth of cancer in the specific cancer cells of the lungs and not any other cells.

3. Is Gefitinib suitable for all lung cancer patients?

No, this medication may not be suitable for all kinds of lung cancers as it is a targeted cancer drug. It can only detect and inhibit the receptors on the non-small cells of the lungs, and no other cells are present in the body, even if they are cancerous.

4. What are the main benefits of using Iressa over other EGFR inhibitors?

Other EFRG inhibitors inhibit the growth of even healthy cells. However, this medication only targets the cells of the lungs that have a cancerous mutation in them, which makes it a highly targeted treatment for the elimination of lung cancer.

5. Are there fewer side effects with Iressa compared to conventional lung cancer treatments?

Studies have shown that this medication has resulted in lower levels of fatigue and nausea in patients who are undergoing treatment. These two symptoms can be the most debilitating, and reducing the severity and frequency of them is a huge step in the right direction for better cancer treatments.