Xalkori has been prescribed because your healthcare provider has judged that the benefits are greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. It may have some serious side effects, including:

Liver problems

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs:

• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes)
• severe tiredness
• dark or brown (tea color) urine
• nausea or vomiting
• decreased appetite
• pain on the right side of the stomach
• easy bleeding or bruising more than normal
• itching

Lung problems (pneumonitis)

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs:

• trouble breathing or shortness of breath
• cough with or without mucous
• fever

Heart problems

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs:

• Feeling dizzy or faint
• abnormal heartbeats. 

Severe vision problems

Mild vision problems are common with Xalkori, usually happening within one week of the start of treatment. Severe vision problems may cause partial or complete loss of vision in one or both eyes. Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you have any new vision problems or any changes such as:

• loss of vision 
• double vision
• seeing flashes of light
• blurry vision
• light sensitivity
• new or increased floaters

The most common side effects of Xalkori include:

• vision problems
• nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting
• swelling of your hands, feet, face, and eyes
• constipation
• tiredness
• decreased appetite
• upper respiratory infection
• dizziness
• a feeling of numbness or tingling in your arms or legs

These symptoms should reduce within a few days. If they persist or get worse, report this to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

If non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is suspected based on symptoms, a doctor may recommend imaging tests (CT, PET or MRI scans) to identify any abnormalities in the chest. A sample of the mucus or a lung biopsy can be conducted if signs confirm the likelihood of NSCLC. Genetic tests may be carried out to detect mutations that point toward the correct treatment by Xalkori in the case of ALK and ROS1 mutations.

Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common kind of lung cancer in the US. When it has spread to other parts of the body, it is known as metastatic NSCLC.

There are four stages of NSCLC, with stage four being the most severe. While NSCLC can spread to lymph nodes as early as stage 2A, by stage four the cancer cells may have spread throughout the chest and other parts of the body (metastasized).

Non-small cell lung cancer is not curable. Treatment by Xalkori aims at reducing symptom severity and prolonging life expectancy in people who have specific genetic mutations.