Afatinib (Giotrif®)
Afatinib is a targeted cancer treatment drug used to treat some types of lung cancer. It may also be referred to by its brand name Giotrif®.
Afatinib works by stopping the growth of certain proteins found in certain types of lung cancer called “tyrosine kinases” and “epidermal growth factor receptor proteins” which cause cancer cells to grow.
NICE does not currently recommend afatinib as a treatment for brain tumours. This means that it is not routinely available on the NHS. But, it has previously been given as part of a clinical trial. You should speak to your healthcare team before making any changes to your treatment or taking new medications.
Afatinib and brain tumours
There has been some research into whether afatinib could be a treatment option for brain tumours. One study tested whether afatinib could be used in patients with a glioblastoma. The aim of the study was to find out the effects of afatinib, establish the maximum dose that can be given safely and to see whether it affects the growth of cancer cells.
The clinical trial was completed in August 2021. You can read more about the clinical trial here.
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