Frequently Asked
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about
LONSURF® (trifluridine and tipiracil) tablets
How does LONSURF work against colon/rectal or stomach cancer?
LONSURF is an oral chemotherapy that is 2 medicines in 1.
- One part (tipiracil) helps the other part (trifluridine) stay active and work properly
- The other part stops cells from making copies of themselves. This may help stop tumors from growing
What are the most common side effects associated with LONSURF?
Almost all patients treated with LONSURF experience side effects at some time. Some common side effects you may experience include:
-
- Tiredness (fatigue/weakness)
- Nausea
-
- Vomiting
- Decreased appetite
-
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
-
- Fever
Tell your healthcare provider if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that is severe or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects of LONSURF.
Your healthcare provider should check your blood cell counts before you receive LONSURF, at day 15 during treatment, and as needed.
- Low blood counts are common with LONSURF and can sometimes be severe and life‑threatening. LONSURF can cause a decrease in your white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Low white blood cells can make you more likely to get serious infections that could lead to death. Your healthcare provider may lower your dose of LONSURF or stop LONSURF if you have low white blood cell or low platelet counts
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop any signs of infection such as fever, chills, or body aches.
These are not all of the possible side effects of LONSURF. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
How is LONSURF taken?
LONSURF is:
- A tablet you swallow twice a day with food—the type of food does not matter
- A tablet you swallow whole
- Do not retake doses of LONSURF that are vomited or missed and continue with the next scheduled dose
LONSURF comes in 2 strengths: 15‑mg and 20‑mg tablets.* Your healthcare provider may prescribe both strengths for your prescribed dose.
*Tablet strength of LONSURF is based on 1 active part of the medicine.You will take LONSURF after morning and evening meals for 5 days a week, and then rest for 2 days. This goes on for 2 weeks.
Then you will not take LONSURF for 2 weeks (14 days).
This is repeated for as long as your healthcare provider says. Always follow all of your healthcare provider’s directions carefully.
What should I do if I vomit after taking LONSURF?
In case of vomiting, do not take additional doses to make up for the missed dose. Call your healthcare provider for instructions about what to do for a missed dose.
How should LONSURF be stored?
Store LONSURF at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
Don't store LONSURF with other medicines. Keep LONSURF in its own container.
If you store your tablets outside of the original container, any unused LONSURF tablets should be disposed of after 30 days.
Wash your hands after handling LONSURF. Even though it is a pill, it is still chemotherapy.
Make sure your caregiver wears gloves when handling LONSURF.
Note that there is a packet inside the bottle that helps absorb moisture. Do not swallow this material.
Keep LONSURF out of the reach of children.
What if my loved one or I have a question about LONSURF and the doctor's office is not available?
To get answers to your questions about LONSURF, contact us at 1‑844‑TAIHO‑4U1‑844‑TAIHO‑4U (1‑844‑824‑46481‑844‑824‑4648).
Does Taiho Oncology offer any financial assistance programs?
Yes. Taiho Oncology is committed to providing ongoing services that include treatment support, referral to financial assistance resources to help eligible patients pay for their medicine, informational e‑mails, and access to our call center, where you can get answers to your questions about LONSURF.
For more information about LONSURF financial support, call 1‑844‑TAIHO‑4U1‑844‑TAIHO‑4U (1‑844‑824‑46481‑844‑824‑4648) or go to TaihoPatientSupport.com.
What is metastatic colon or rectal cancer?
You have likely read a lot about colon or rectal cancer since you were diagnosed. As you may have already discovered, colon and rectal cancers combined are the third most common cancers in men and women.
Metastatic means that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
What is metastatic stomach cancer?
You have likely read a lot about stomach cancer since you were diagnosed. As you may have already discovered, stomach cancer is not as common as some other cancers in men in women.
Metastatic means that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Stomach cancer is sometimes called gastric cancer.
Your healthcare provider may have told you that you have gastroesophageal junction cancer, which is a type of cancer located in the lower part of the esophagus that connects to the stomach.
Why would my HCP change my LONSURF treatment plan?
Your HCP may change your LONSURF treatment plan if you have a decrease in your white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets, or if you experience other certain serious side effects.
Your HCP should do blood tests before you receive LONSURF, at day 15 during treatment with LONSURF, and as needed to check your blood cell counts.
Keep track of any side effects you may experience in the Treatment Calendar included in your LONSURF Starter Kit and bring it with you to your doctor's appointment. Or, create a personalized Treatment Calendar where you can note how you are feeling. Tell your HCP right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that is severe or that does not go away.
Although experiencing a change in your treatment plan may feel overwhelming, remember that it is not uncommon.
If you receive a change in your treatment plan and would like to know more, don’t hesitate to ask your HCP or nurse about it. Always follow their instructions carefully.
How could my HCP change my LONSURF treatment plan?
There are 3 ways your HCP may change your treatment plan. In each case, your HCP may first delay your treatment. Delaying your treatment is an important step your HCP may take before deciding whether to:
- Restart your LONSURF treatment at the same dose
- Restart your LONSURF treatment at a lower dose
- Stop your LONSURF treatment permanently
How common is it to experience a change in my treatment plan?
The rates below represent how common each type of treatment change was in the clinical trial in which LONSURF was studied. Treatment changes were used to help address certain side effects.
Colon or rectal cancer
- 53% of patients had their treatment delayed and then restarted at the same dose.
- 14% of patients had their treatment restarted at a lower dose. The most common reasons for lowering the dose were lower blood counts, anemia, fever associated with low blood cell counts, tiredness, and diarrhea.
- 4% of patients had their treatment stopped permanently.
Stomach cancer
- 42% of patients had their treatment delayed and then restarted at the same dose.
- 11% of patients had their treatment restarted at a lower dose. The most common reasons for lowering the dose were lower blood counts, fever associated with low blood cell counts and diarrhea.
- 13% of patients had their treatment stopped permanently.
How could low white blood cell counts affect me?
Low white blood cell counts can make you more likely to get serious infections. Serious infections could be fatal. Your HCP may change your treatment to prevent blood cell counts from lowering to a dangerous level.
Tell your HCP right away if you develop any signs of infection such as fever, chills, or body aches. You can use the thermometer in the Starter Kit to check your temperature each day.
Can I lessen the chance of having low white blood cell counts while taking LONSURF?
Taking LONSURF after morning and evening meals may help lessen the effect of LONSURF on your white blood cell counts.
The kind of food you eat does not matter.
SEE ALL INDICATIONS
INDICATIONS
LONSURF is a prescription medicine used:
- alone or in combination with the medicine bevacizumab to treat adults with colorectal cancer:
- that has spread to other parts of the body, and
- who have been previously treated with certain chemotherapy medicines
- alone to treat adults with a kind of stomach cancer called gastric cancer including adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction:
- that has spread to other parts of the body, and
- who have been previously treated with at least 2 types of treatment which included certain medicines
It is not known if LONSURF is safe and effective in children.
INDICATIONS
LONSURF is a prescription medicine used:
- alone or in combination with the medicine bevacizumab to treat adults with colorectal cancer:
- that has spread to other parts of the body, and
- who have been previously treated with certain chemotherapy medicines
- alone to treat adults with a kind of stomach cancer called gastric cancer including adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction:
- that has spread to other parts of the body, and
- who have been previously treated with at least 2 types of treatment which included certain medicines
It is not known if LONSURF is safe and effective in children.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
LONSURF may cause serious side effects, including:
- Low blood counts. Low blood counts are common with LONSURF and can sometimes be severe and life-threatening. LONSURF can cause a decrease in your white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Low white blood cells can make you more likely to get serious infections that could lead to death. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests before you receive LONSURF, at day 15 during treatment with LONSURF, and as needed to check your blood cell counts. Your healthcare provider may lower your dose of LONSURF or stop LONSURF if you have low white blood cell or platelet counts
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs and symptoms of infection during treatment with LONSURF: fever, chills, or body aches.
Before taking LONSURF, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- Have kidney or liver problems
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. LONSURF can harm your unborn baby
- Females who can become pregnant: Your healthcare provider will do a pregnancy test before you start treatment with LONSURF. You should use effective birth control during and 6 months after the last dose of treatment with LONSURF. Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you become pregnant
- Males, while on treatment and for 3 months after your last dose of LONSURF, you should use a condom during sex with female partners who are able to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider right away if your partner becomes pregnant while you are taking LONSURF
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if LONSURF passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with LONSURF and for 1 day after your last dose of LONSURF
Tell your healthcare provider about all the prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take.
The most common side effects of LONSURF when used alone include low blood counts, tiredness and weakness, nausea, decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, and fever.
The most common side effects of LONSURF when used in combination with bevacizumab include low blood counts, tiredness and weakness, nausea, certain abnormal liver function blood tests, decreased salt (sodium) in your blood, diarrhea, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, and decreased appetite.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that is severe or that does not go away.
These are not all of the possible side effects of LONSURF. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.