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Overview: Xalkori is used to treat certain cancers and tumors. Common side effects include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and headache. Call your health care provider right away if you get a fever, experience changes in your vision, or have new or worsening shortness of breath. Xalkori is a capsule or pellets that you will swallow. 

Uses

What is Xalkori used for?

Xalkori (crizotinib) is commonly used to treat certain kinds of the following cancers or tumors. 

Xalkori may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider.

How does Xalkori work (mechanism of action)?

Xalkori is a type of medicine known as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by targeting specific proteins on certain cancer or tumor cells. By blocking the action of these proteins, Xalkori can cause these cells to die and prevent them from growing or spreading.

How is Xalkori supplied (dosage forms)?

Brands and other names

  • Xalkori

Dosage forms and strengths

  • 200 mg, 250 mg oral capsules
  • 20 mg, 50 mg, 150 mg oral pellets

How should I store Xalkori?

Xalkori should be stored at room temperature, between 68 F and 77 F (20 C and 25 C). It can be exposed to temperatures between 59 F and 86 F (15 C and 30 C) for shorter periods of time, such as when transporting it. Store in a cool, dry place.

Side Effects

What are the most common side effects of Xalkori?

The most common side effects of Xalkori are listed below. Tell your health care provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you. Side effects may differ based on the condition you are taking Xalkori to treat.

  • Vision problems (see below)
  • Gastrointestinal problems (see below)
  • Constipation or stomach pain
  • Swelling of your hands, feet, face, or eyes
  • Tiredness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Infection in the nose or throat, sore throat, or common cold symptoms
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
  • Headache
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Itchy skin

There may be other side effects of Xalkori that are not listed here. Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088 (800-332-1088). In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.

What are the serious side effects of Xalkori?

While less common, the most serious side effects of Xalkori are described below, along with what to do if they happen.

Severe Allergic Reactions. Xalkori may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop taking Xalkori and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.

  • Breathing problems or wheezing
  • Racing heart
  • Fever or general ill feeling
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
  • Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
  • Itching, skin rash, or pale red bumps on the skin called hives
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
  • Stomach cramps
  • Joint pain

Liver Damage. Liver damage, also called hepatotoxicity, can happen when taking Xalkori. Keep all appointments to have your blood checked. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of liver damage.

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Stomach or belly pain
  • Fever
  • Weakness or unusual tiredness
  • Itching
  • Loss of appetite
  • Light-colored poop
  • Dark-colored urine (pee)
  • Your skin or the whites of your eyes turning yellowish in color (also called jaundice)

Lung Inflammation. Xalkori can cause inflammation in your lungs, also called interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis. This can be serious or even life-threatening. Get emergency help if you have new or worsening symptoms such as trouble breathing, cough, fever, or chest pain. 

Heart Rhythm Changes. Xalkori may cause heart rhythm problems that can lead to an irregular heartbeat and fainting. In rare cases, this may cause the heart to suddenly stop beating. Xalorki can also cause your heart to beat slower than normal (bradycardia). The risk of these side effects is higher in people who have heart problems or take medicines for heart or blood pressure. Get emergency help if you have any of the following signs of heart rhythm changes.

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or fainting
  • Changes in your heart rate or rhythm, such as a fast, slow, pounding, or skipping heartbeat
  • Confusion
  • Feeling weak or easily tired

Vision Problems. Xalkori may increase your risk of severe vision problems. Most often, these problems are blurred vision or worsening vision that can lead to loss of vision. Keep any scheduled eye exams before starting or while taking Xalkori. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of vision problems.

  • Blurriness or shadows
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Worsening vision
  • Double vision
  • Seeing flashes of light
  • A blind spot in the middle of your vision
  • Dull or unusually colored or tinted vision

Gastrointestinal Problems. Children and young adults may be at a higher risk of having severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or mouth sores while taking Xalkori. Take any medicine that may be given to you to prevent or treat these problems. Tell your health care provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or trouble swallowing.

Warnings & Precautions

Who should not use Xalkori?

Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not take Xalkori.

  • Crizotinib
  • Xalkori
  • Any of the ingredients in the specific product dispensed

Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in Xalkori.

What should I know about Xalkori before using it?

Do not take Xalkori unless it has been prescribed to you by a health care provider. Take it as prescribed.

Do not share Xalkori with other people, even if they have the same condition as you. It may harm them.

Keep Xalkori out of the reach of children.

Swallow Xalkori capsules whole. Do not crush, split, or chew the capsules. 

Xalkori pellets should be poured directly into your mouth or taken from a spoon or a medicine cup. Drink water right away after taking the pellets to make sure they are all swallowed. Do not chew or crush the Xalkori pellets. Do not swallow the shells that hold the pellets.

Your health care provider will have you do regular blood tests before taking and while taking Xalkori. Make sure to attend all appointments, so they can make sure that Xalkori is safe for you.

Xalkori can affect your alertness or coordination. Do not drive or do other activities that require alertness or coordination until you know how Xalkori affects you.

Xalkori can make your skin more sensitive to light from the sun, sunlamps, and tanning beds. This is called photosensitivity. Exposure to this light can cause severe sunburns, blisters, and swelling. If you need to be in sunlight, wear sunscreen, a hat, and clothing that covers your skin.

If you are able to get a partner pregnant, you should use condoms while taking Xalkori and for 90 days after your last dose.

Xalkori may make it difficult for you to get pregnant or get your partner pregnant. If you have concerns, talk to your health care provider.

What should I tell my health care provider before using Xalkori?

Tell your health care provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them determine if Xalkori is right for you.

In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.

Current and Past Health Conditions. Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following.

  • Eye problems
  • Heart problems, including cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and QT prolongation
  • Any family members who have heart problems like QT prolongation
  • Breathing problems
  • Liver problems
  • Kidney problems

Other Medicines and Supplements. Xalkori may interact with other medicines and supplements. Before taking Xalkori, tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. See the Interactions section for more details.

Pregnancy. Xalkori may cause harm to a fetus. Your health care provider will give you a test to make sure you are not pregnant before you start taking Xalkori. If you can get pregnant, you should use birth control while taking Xalkori and for 45 days after your last dose. Tell your health care provider right away if you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant.

Breastfeeding. It is not known if Xalkori passes into breast milk. Do not breastfeed while taking Xalkori and for 45 days after your last dose. Tell your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

How can I get more information about Xalkori?

For more information about Xalkori, you can visit the drugmaker’s website at www.xalkori.com or call them at 800-438-1985.

Interactions

Does Xalkori interact with foods or drinks?

Grapefruit interacts with Xalkori. It is important to avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking Xalkori. This is because grapefruit can interfere with your body’s ability to break down Xalkori, which can lead to high levels of the medicine and an increased risk of side effects. 

It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect Xalkori, but heavy drinking can slow your immune response and make it harder for your body to fight cancer.

Does Xalkori interact with other medicines (drug interactions)?

Always tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.

In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are using any of the following before taking Xalkori.

  • St. John’s wort, which is a supplement that may be used to treat depression
  • Any medicine that can cause QT prolongation, which is a potentially dangerous heart rhythm problem 
  • A beta-blocker, such as atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL, and others), or propranolol (Inderal LA, Innopran XL), which is a medicine that may be used for certain heart conditions or to lower blood pressure
  • Diltiazem (Cardizem CD and others) or verapamil (Verelan, Verelan PM), which are medicines used for high blood pressure or other conditions
  • Clonidine (Catapres-TTS and others), which is a medicine used for high blood pressure or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Digoxin (Lanoxin), which is a medicine used to treat irregular heartbeat and some types of heart failure
  • Fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura), ketoconazole, posaconazole (Noxafil), or voriconazole (Vfend), which are used for fungal infections
  • Rifampin (Rifadin), which is a medicine commonly used to treat an infection called tuberculosis
  • Any product that contains grapefruit extract

Many other medicines may alter the blood levels of Xalkori and vice versa. Tell your health care provider about all medicines that you take or have recently taken.

This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with Xalkori. Always check with your health care provider.

Does interact with other drugs you are taking?

Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker

Overdose/Missed Dose

What should I do if I accidentally use too much Xalkori?

If you or someone else has used too much Xalkori, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.

What should I do if I miss a dose of Xalkori?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is less than six hours until your next dose, skip the missed dose and only take the next dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

If you vomit after taking your Xalkori dose, do not take another dose. Skip the dose and take your next dose at the usual time.