Tafinlar (Dabrafenib) is a kinase inhibitor used alone or combined with another medication called Trametinib to treat patients with melanoma with BRAF V600E mutation that is metastatic or that cannot be removed by surgery. It is also used with Trametinib to treat thyroid cancer and a type of lung cancer called non-small cell lung cancer-NSCLC. Dabrafenib works by slowing the growth of cancer cells. This medication is also used after surgery for melanoma to prevent the melanoma from coming back. The recommended dose of Tafinlar is 150 mg orally twice daily as a single agent or in combination with Trametinib 2 mg orally once daily. Take Tafinlar at least one hour before or two hours after your meal.
Manufacturer Information
The brand Tafinlar is available from Canada manufactured by Novartis. There is no generic available for this medication. Tafinlar is available in the strength of 50 mg and 75 mg capsules.
The common side effects of Tafinlar may include hair loss, headache, joint/muscle or back pain, swelling of feets or hands and thickening of the outer layers of the skin.
Many people using Tafinlar do not have any serious side effects. Inform your doctor right away if you have any symptoms such as:
• Change in size or color of mole;
• New wart;
• Night sweats;
• Skin bump that bleeds or does not heal;
• Skin sore;
• Unexplained or sudden weight loss
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Please call your doctor if you have any further concerns or questions.
Do not take Tafinlar if you are allergic to Dabrafenib or if you have any other allergies. Before you start using this medication, inform your doctor about your medical history and about all the medications you take including otc and herbal medications. Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant because this medication may harm an unborn baby. Your doctor should order a pregnancy test before you start this medication. It is unknown if this medication passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor before breast-feeding. Breast-feedign is not recommended while using this medication and for two weeks after treatment or for 4 months after stopping treatment. There are some medications that can affect the removal of this medication from your body, which may affect how this medication works. These medications include azole antifungals (itraconazole, ketoconazole), macrolide antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin, and drugs used to treat seizures (phenobarbital, phenytoin), etc. There are other medications like midazolam and warfarin that can speed up the removal of other medications from your body.
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