"Iressa"( gefitinib): analogues, price. How to buy cheaper Iressa
Iressa is an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase( ie, a substance that suppresses the production of this enzyme and the physicochemical processes associated with it).Tyrosine kinase stimulates the growth of the epidermis, which is typical for a number of large tumors. And the action of the drug slows down this process and, in addition, prevents the emergence and spread of metastases, the formation of new blood vessels in the tumor, and accelerates the process of apoptosis( disintegration of malignant cells into separate neutral components).
The main active substance of the preparation - gefitinib - not only inhibits tumor growth, but also enhances the effectiveness of radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.
About the generics of
Like many antitumor drugs of the new generation, the price of Iressa tablets is quite high( it fluctuates around 300 thousand rubles).And this often leads to the predicament of patients forced to acquire them. To help them in this case comes the generic "Iressa" - Geftinat, produced by the famous Indian company Natco Pharma.
The named preparation is made under the official license and differs nothing from the brand analog. It has the same composition and, accordingly, the same efficiency as the "Iressa", the price of it is much lower.
This is due to the fact that the cost of the generic does not include the costs of the company for development, testing and advertising. And this significantly reduces the cost and, as a consequence, the retail price of the drug.
Where to buy Iressa and its analogues
In Russia, Iressa generics from well-known Indian manufacturers can be purchased on a special site of a large Indian company with a 5-year-old reputation .And by buying a generic, you will spend a significantly smaller amount, as the price for it is more than ten times lower than for a branded drug.
The condition for providing services is the availability of appropriate documents that can confirm the need for modern treatment.
Indications for use of
"Iressa" is prescribed only by the attending physician, if necessary, to slow down the growth of malignant tumors in the lungs and bronchi, as well as in the diagnosis of metastatic lung cancer.
The active ingredient of Iressa is effective if pathological cells in the cancer patient are not susceptible to the effects of chemotherapy with platinum drugs.
How to take Iressa: Instruction
The product is intended for oral use only. It is taken strictly according to the prescription of the attending physician - at the same time, not correlating it with the intake of food.
As a rule, Iressa, as well as its generic, is prescribed one tablet once a day. In situations where, for some reason, another medication was missed, it should be carried out no later than 12 hours before the new appointment.
Please note, two tablets at one time are an unacceptable dose!
If the patient can not swallow the whole tablet, it can be dissolved in 100 ml of still water, without mashing, and drink or inject to the patient through the probe. And in order to get a full dose in this case, after drinking the contents, the glass is refilled with water and, after washing the walls, is drunk.
In patients with allergic reactions, interstitial pneumonia, severe diarrhea and other adverse events that have occurred during treatment, a break in the use of the drug for up to 14 days is possible. After that, the treatment is continued according to the standard scheme.
Side effects of
The reports on the preparation of Iressa say that most often side effects in the course of its administration are skin and acne, itching, dry skin and mucous membranes, stomatitis and diarrhea.
These reactions occur, as a rule, in the first month of therapy and are reversible. Only in 3% of patients, adverse reactions are forced to stop further treatment.
In addition to the above, other undesirable manifestations are noticed:
- nasal bleeding;
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- asthenia;
- anorexia;
- conjunctivitis;
- blepharitis;
- changes of nail plates;
- hyperthermia;
- xerophthalmia;
- interstitial pneumonia( if you ignore her symptoms, a fatal outcome is possible).
Drug consumption leads to a change in some laboratory indicators. So, in the blood of the patient, the content of creatinine and bilirubin increases, and in the urine - the protein.
Contraindications to the use of the drug
"Iressa" is not assigned to patients who are allergic to the substances that are part of the tablets. It is also not used in pediatrics and for the treatment of pregnant or lactating women.
In the presence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, pneumoconiosis, elevated levels of hepatic enzymes and bilirubin, as well as with hereditary lactose intolerance, the drug should be used with caution.
Patients with concomitant pneumonia( drug, interstitial or post-radiation), the use of Iressa tablets should be carried out under the strict supervision of a specialist.
Overdose of
Exceeding the dose of the drug can lead to severe abnormalities of the functions of the digestive tract, skin rash and high severity of side effects.
Symptomatic therapy is used to treat an overdose.