What is the therapeutic effect of lapatinib/telisa and what is the patient feedback?

Lapatinib is a small molecule targeted drug that simultaneously inhibits the HER2 and EGFR signaling pathways. It has a clear positioning in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Unlike monoclonal antibody HER2-targeting drugs, lapatinib can enter the body orally and blocks signal transduction at the intracellular level, so it has unique clinical value in certain specific groups of people.

Judging from research and long-term medication experience, lapatinib is usually not used alone, but in combination with other anti-tumor drugs. Especially in patients who have previously received trastuzumab and other treatments, the combination regimen is believed to be able to delay disease progression. In multiple studies of women with breast cancer, lapatinib combination therapy was superior to control regimens in terms of disease control, mainly reflected in prolonged disease stability as assessed by imaging. Such studies generally focus on the survival status of patients without further deterioration of the disease, and also conduct follow-up observations on overall survival outcomes.

In the real world, patients’ feedback on lapatinib shows relatively consistent characteristics. On the one hand, some patients believe that the drug has a certain effect in controlling tumor progression, especially when HER2 expression is clear and previous treatment options are limited, lapatinib provides new possibilities for subsequent treatment. On the other hand, some patients mentioned that they need to pay close attention to gastrointestinal reactions, skin discomfort and other issues during long-term use, but in most cases they can tolerate it through dose adjustment and symptomatic treatment.

Overall, lapatinib is not a "quick-act" drug, but rather a targeted treatment option for long-term management of the disease. The evaluation of its efficacy often requires a combination of imaging examinations, symptom changes, and the doctor's comprehensive judgment, rather than just evaluation based on short-term feelings. For appropriate patient populations, lapatinib still has a place in the overall treatment strategy.

Reference:https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/tyverb