How does Afinitor by Novartis Pharmaceuticals work? What will it do for me?
Everolimus belongs to the class of medications called antineoplastics. It is used to treat certain forms of advanced cancers. It may be combined with other medications to treat certain types of advanced breast cancer. It may be used alone to treat pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours or PNET (tumours in the pancreas that produce chemical messengers) that have metastasized (spread) or progressed within the past year. Everolimus is also used to treat renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) that has spread, after other medications have been tried.
Everolimus also has conditional approval from Health Canada to be used for people with a condition called tuberous sclerosis complex. This approval is conditional, as research shows it may help reduce the growth of giant cell astrocytomas (SEGA, a type of brain tumour) in children over 3 years of age and angiomyolipomas (a type of non-cancerous kidney tumour) in adults over 18 years of age, however additional clinical trials still need to be completed.
Everolimus works by slowing the growth and spread of breast cancer cells, kidney cancer cells and pancreatic cells that produce hormones by blocking key enzymes. It may also reduce the size of brain and kidney tumours that occur with the genetic condition tuberous sclerosis complex.
This medication may be available under multiple brand names and/or in several different forms. Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here.
Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles. If you have not