Inlyta (Axitinib) for Kidney Cancer

Overview
Inlyta is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a type of kidney cancer. It is used in combination with either avelumab or pembrolizumab as a first-line therapy, or on its own for individuals whose disease has worsened after one prior systemic treatment. Inlyta is also known by its drug name, axitinib.

Axitinib is a kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking enzymes called tyrosine kinases, which help cancer cells grow and form new blood vessels. By targeting these pathways, axitinib may slow or stop the growth of kidney tumors.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Inlyta is taken by mouth as a tablet approximately 12 hours apart, with or without food. It is used in combination with either avelumab or pembrolizumab or taken alone twice daily. The tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. The drug should be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Inlyta when used with avelumab include diarrhea, fatigue, hypertension (high blood pressure), musculoskeletal pain (pain in muscles, bones, or joints), nausea, mucositis (inflammation of the mucous membranes), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (hand-foot syndrome), dysphonia (voice changes), decreased appetite, hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels), rash, hepatotoxicity (liver damage), cough, dyspnea (shortness of breath), abdominal pain, and headache.

Common side effects of Inlyta when used with pembrolizumab include diarrhea, fatigue or asthenia (physical weakness), hypertension, hepatotoxicity, hypothyroidism, decreased appetite, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, nausea, stomatitis or mucosal inflammation (soreness and swelling in the mouth), dysphonia, rash, cough, and constipation.

Common side effects of Inlyta when used alone include diarrhea, hypertension, fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea, dysphonia, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, weight loss, vomiting, asthenia, and constipation.

Rare but serious side effects may include hypertensive crisis (sudden and severe high blood pressure), arterial and venous thromboembolic events (blood clots that can block blood flow and may be fatal), hemorrhage (serious bleeding), cardiac failure (reduced ability of the heart to pump), gastrointestinal perforation or fistula (holes or abnormal passages in the digestive tract), hypothyroidism, impaired wound healing, reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS, a rare brain condition), proteinuria (excess protein in urine), and hepatotoxicity. Inlyta may also cause harm to an unborn baby and should not be used during pregnancy.

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Label: Inlyta- Axitinib Tablet, Film Coated — DailyMed