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Crizotinib Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Sep 11, 2024.

Applies to crizotinib: oral capsule, oral pellet.

Serious side effects of crizotinib

Along with its needed effects, crizotinib may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking crizotinib:

More common

  • black, tarry stools
  • bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
  • blurred or loss of vision
  • body aches or pain
  • chest pain, discomfort, or tightness
  • chills
  • colicky or burning stomach pain
  • constipation
  • cough
  • diarrhea
  • difficult or labored breathing
  • difficulty in swallowing
  • disturbed color perception
  • double vision
  • ear congestion
  • fever
  • halos around lights
  • headache
  • hoarseness
  • increased sensitivity to pain or touch
  • irregular heartbeat
  • lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
  • loss of appetite
  • loss of voice
  • lower back or side pain
  • nerve pain
  • night blindness
  • overbright appearance of lights
  • pain in the back of throat or chest when swallowing
  • pain or burning in the throat
  • painful or difficult urination
  • pale skin
  • rapid weight gain
  • recurrent fainting
  • runny or stuffy nose
  • seeing flashes or sparks of light
  • slow or irregular heartbeat
  • sneezing
  • sore throat
  • sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or tongue or inside the mouth
  • swelling
  • trouble breathing
  • tunnel vision
  • unusual bleeding or bruising
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • unusual weight gain or loss
  • vomiting
  • vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
  • weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet

Less common

  • anxiety
  • blue lips, fingernails, or skin
  • clay-colored stools
  • confusion
  • dark urine
  • dry mouth
  • fast heartbeat
  • flushed, dry skin
  • fruit-like breath odor
  • increased hunger
  • increased thirst
  • increased urination
  • irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing
  • itching, skin rash
  • loss of consciousness
  • nausea
  • stomach pain or tenderness
  • sweating
  • swelling of the feet or lower legs
  • yellow eyes or skin

Other side effects of crizotinib

Some side effects of crizotinib may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

  • acid or sour stomach
  • back pain
  • belching
  • burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
  • change in taste
  • heartburn
  • increased weight
  • indigestion
  • loss of taste
  • muscle spasm or weakness
  • pain in the arms or legs
  • stomach discomfort or upset
  • trouble in walking
  • unsteadiness or awkwardness
  • weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet

Rare

  • increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
  • redness or discoloration of the skin
  • severe sunburn

Managing side effects (general information)

For healthcare professionals

Applies to crizotinib: oral capsule, oral pellet.

General

The most common adverse reactions in adult patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were vision disorders, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, edema, constipation, elevated transaminases, fatigue, decreased appetite, upper respiratory infection, dizziness, and neuropathy.

The most common adverse reactions in patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) were diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, vision disorder, headache, musculoskeletal pain, stomatitis, fatigue, decreased appetite, pyrexia, abdominal pain, cough, and pruritus. The most common grade 3 to 4 laboratory abnormalities were neutropenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia.

The most common adverse reactions in adult patients with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) were vision disorders, nausea, and edema. The most common adverse reactions in pediatric patients with IMT were vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, vision disorder, upper respiratory tract infection, cough, pyrexia, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, edema, constipation, and headache.[Ref]

Cardiovascular

Across clinical trials in patients with NSCLC, bradycardia occurred in 13% of 1722 patients treated with this drug; most events were mild in severity. Of 1666 patients with at least 1 postbaseline vital sign assessment, 16% had a pulse rate less than 50 beats per minute.

In 1 study, among 121 patients ages 1 to 21 years treated with this drug, bradycardia was reported in 14% of patients, including grade 3 bradycardia in 0.8% of patients. Of the 26 patients with ALCL, bradycardia (all grade 1) was reported in 19% of patients; of the 14 pediatric patients with IMT, bradycardia was reported in 14% of patients, including grade 3 bradycardia in 7% of patients.

Across clinical trials in patients with NSCLC, 2.1% of 1616 patients had QTcF (corrected QT for heart rate by the Fridericia method) at least 500 ms and 5% of 1582 patients had an increase from baseline QTcF at least 60 ms by automated machine-read evaluation of ECGs.

In 1 study, QTc prolongation was reported in 4.1% of patients, including 8% of patients with ALCL and 7% of pediatric patients with IMT.

Across clinical studies (n=1722), 1.1% of patients treated with this drug had any grade cardiac failure, 0.5% of patients had grade 3 or 4, and 0.2% of patients had fatal outcome.

Dermatologic

Endocrine

Gastrointestinal

Nausea (57%), diarrhea (54%), vomiting (51%), and constipation (43%) were the most commonly reported gastrointestinal events in adult patients with either ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase)-positive or ROS1 (ROS proto-oncogene 1, receptor tyrosine kinase)-positive NSCLC; most events were mild to moderate in severity. Median times to onset for nausea and vomiting were 3 days, and these events declined in frequency after 3 weeks of therapy; median times to onset for diarrhea and constipation were 13 and 17 days, respectively.

In 26 patients with ALCL, gastrointestinal toxicity occurred in 100% of patients; grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity occurred in 27% of patients and included diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomatitis. Among 14 pediatric patients with IMT, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea occurred in 93%, 86%, and 64% of patients, respectively.

Hematologic

Across studies in patients with either ALK-positive or ROS1-positive advanced NSCLC (N=1722), grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and leukopenia were observed in 12% and 3% of patients treated with this drug, respectively; median time to onset of any grade neutropenia and leukopenia was 89 and 85 days, respectively. In clinical studies with this drug, shifts to grade 3 or 4 decreases in neutrophils and leukocytes were observed in 13% and 4% of patients, respectively. Febrile neutropenia occurred in less than 0.5% of patients.

In clinical studies in 110 pediatric patients with a variety of tumor types, neutropenia and leukopenia were reported in 71% and 63% of patients, respectively; grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and leukopenia were observed in 53% and 16% of patients, respectively. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 3.6% of patients.

Hepatic

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity with fatal outcome occurred in 0.1% of the 1722 patients treated with this drug for NSCLC across clinical trials. Concurrent elevations in ALT or AST at least 3 times the upper limit of normal (3 x ULN) and total bilirubin at least 2 x ULN (with normal alkaline phosphatase) occurred in less than 1% of patients treated with this drug. Increased ALT or AST greater than 5 x ULN occurred in 11% and 6% of patients, respectively. Increased transaminases generally occurred within the first 2 months of therapy.

In 1 study, 121 patients ages 1 to 21 years were treated with this drug for relapsed or refractory tumors (including ALCL and IMT); increased ALT and AST were reported in 79% and 71% of patients, respectively, with increased ALT or AST greater than 5 x ULN in 6% of patients each. Of the 26 patients with ALCL treated with this drug, increased ALT and AST were reported in 81% and 65% of patients, respectively, with increases greater than 5 x ULN in 4% each. Of the 14 pediatric patients with IMT treated with this drug, increased AST and ALT were reported in 71% of patients each.

In 1 study, 7 adult patients with IMT were treated with this drug; increased ALT and AST were reported in 43% and 57% of patients, respectively.

Metabolic

Musculoskeletal

Nervous system

Neuropathy (most commonly sensory in nature) occurred in 25% of 1722 patients; most events (95%) were grade 1 or 2 in severity. Dizziness and dysgeusia were also commonly reported and were primarily grade 1 in severity.

Across clinical trials in patients with NSCLC, grade 3 syncope occurred in 2.4% of patients treated with this drug and in 0.6% of the chemotherapy-treated patients.

Ocular

Vision disorders (most commonly visual impairment, photopsia, blurred vision, or vitreous floaters) occurred in 63% of 1722 patients. The majority (95%) of these patients had grade 1 visual adverse reactions; there were 0.8% of patients with grade 3 and 0.2% of patients with grade 4 visual impairment. Based on the Visual Symptom Assessment Questionnaire (VSAQ-ALK), patients treated with this drug in 2 studies reported a higher incidence of visual disturbances compared to patients treated with chemotherapy. The onset of vision disorder generally occurred within 8 days (range: 1 to 984 days) after the start of therapy. The majority of patients taking this drug in the 2 studies (greater than 50%) reported visual disturbances which occurred at a frequency of 4 to 7 days each week, lasted up to 1 minute, and had mild or no impact (scores 0 to 3 out of a maximum score of 10) on daily activities as captured in the VSAQ-ALK questionnaire.

Across all clinical trials in patients with NSCLC, the incidence of grade 4 visual field defect with visual loss was 0.2% of 1722 patients; optic atrophy and optic nerve disorder have been reported as potential causes of visual loss.

In 1 study, visual disorders occurred in 46% of 121 patients, including 65% of 26 patients with ALCL and 50% of 14 patients with IMT; of the 56 patients who experienced visual disorders, 1 pediatric patient with IMT experienced grade 3 myopic optic nerve disorder. The most common visual symptoms were blurred vision and visual impairment.

Other

Renal

The eGFR decreased from a baseline median of 96.42 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n=1681) to a median of 80.23 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 2 weeks (n=1499) in patients with ALK-positive advanced NSCLC who received this drug in clinical trials. No clinically significant changes occurred in median eGFR from 12 to 104 weeks of therapy. Median eGFR slightly increased (83.02 mL/min/1.73 m2) 4 weeks after the last dose of this drug. Overall, decrease in eGFR to less than 90 mL/min/1.73 m2, to less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, and to less than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 occurred in 76%, 38%, and 3.6% of patients, respectively.

Renal cysts occurred in 3% of 1722 patients; the majority of renal cysts were complex in patients treated with this drug. Local cystic invasion beyond the kidney occurred, in some cases with imaging characteristics suggestive of abscess formation; however, across clinical trials, no renal abscesses were confirmed by microbiology tests.

Respiratory

Across clinical trials in patients with NSCLC, 2.9% of patients treated with this drug had ILD of any grade, 1% had grade 3 or 4 ILD, and 0.5% had fatal ILD. ILD generally occurred within 3 months after starting this drug.

In 1 study, among 121 patients ages 1 to 21 years with relapsed or refractory tumors (including ALCL and IMT), ILD occurred in 0.8% of patients.

References

1. (2022) "Product Information. Xalkori (crizotinib)." Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group, SUPPL-33

2. (2022) "Product Information. Xalkori (crizotinib)." Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd, pfpxalkc11122

3. (2023) "Product Information. Xalkori (crizotinib)." Pfizer Ltd, XI 36_1

Frequently asked questions

Further information

Crizotinib side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Some side effects may not be reported. You may report them to the FDA.

Medical Disclaimer