Safety Profile and Clinical Recommendations for the Use of Lapatinib.

SUMMARY: The toxicity profile of agents blocking the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway excludes many of the severe side effects commonly observed with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Like other tyrosine kinase inhibitors, lapatinib is generally well tolerated. Lapatinib exhibits specific toxicities, the most common being diarrhea and rash, which are mostly mild to moderate in severity. Cardiac toxicity is rarely seen with lapatinib. Generally, lapatinib-associated toxicities are manageable.