Reasons Why Doctors May Not Recommend Patients to Use Axitinib (Inlida)

Axitinib is a targeted therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma, but not all patients are suitable for it. First, doctors may not recommend axitinib in patients with severe cardiovascular disease, such as heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, or uncontrolled hypertension, because the drug can cause increases in blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular events. If the patient's cardiovascular condition is unstable, use of this drug may pose higher health risks.

Secondly, patients with abnormal liver and renal function may not be suitable for axitinib. Since the drug is primarily metabolized by the liver, impaired liver and kidney function may cause the drug to accumulate in the body, increasing the risk of side effects such as severe diarrhea, proteinuria, or further deterioration of liver function. Therefore, some doctors choose safer alternatives or adjust the dose under strict monitoring.

In addition, common side effects of axitinib include hand-foot syndrome, fatigue, diarrhea, and proteinuria. For patients who are older, have more underlying diseases, or have limited ability to take care of themselves, side effects are more difficult to manage and may affect their quality of life or lead to hospitalization, so doctors may not recommend its use.

Finally, drug interactions are also a consideration. Axitinib may interact metabolically or therapeutically with a variety of drugs, including anticoagulants and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors. For patients taking multiple medications, physicians may avoid axitinib due to safety concerns to reduce the risk of potential adverse events. Taken together, cardiovascular and liver and kidney function problems, difficulty in managing side effects, and drug interactions are the main reasons why doctors do not recommend the use of axitinib to some patients.

Reference materials:https://www.drugs.com/