fruquintinib at a glance
Medicine class
Selective VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
Licensed use
Previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer in adults.
Administration
Swallow capsules whole, with or without food.
Safety status
Prescription-only anticancer treatment subject to additional monitoring.
What is fruquintinib used for?
Fruquintinib has one main licensed use.
Treating adults with metastatic colorectal cancer previously treated with available therapies, including established chemotherapy and, where applicable, anti-VEGF or anti-EGFR treatment.
How does fruquintinib work?
Fruquintinib selectively inhibits VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3. This suppresses tumour blood-vessel formation, reducing the oxygen and nutrients that support tumour growth.
fruquintinib preparations and strengths
Capsule
Route: Oral
Strengths: 1 mg, 5 mg
How to take fruquintinib
Follow the oncology team's written instructions.
Swallow each capsule whole.
Take with or without food.
Do not take a replacement capsule after vomiting.
Do not stop or alter treatment without advice from the oncology team.
fruquintinib side effects
Common or expected effects
- High blood pressure
- Reduced appetite or weight loss
- Diarrhoea or sore mouth
- Tiredness or weakness
- Hoarse voice
- Painful, red or blistered palms and soles
- Protein in the urine
- Underactive thyroid
- Changes in liver tests or blood-cell counts
- Muscle, bone or joint discomfort
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe bleeding
- Serious infection
- Gastrointestinal perforation
- Severe or uncontrolled hypertension
- Liver injury
- Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome
- Arterial thrombosis
- Nephrotic syndrome
fruquintinib in pregnancy
There are no clinical pregnancy data, and fetal harm is possible. It should generally be avoided unless specialist assessment concludes that maternal benefit outweighs fetal risk. Effective contraception is advised for patients who could conceive and male patients with partners who could conceive during treatment and for at least two weeks afterwards.
fruquintinib while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether fruquintinib or its metabolites enter human milk, and risk to an infant cannot be excluded. Breastfeeding should stop during treatment and for at least two weeks after the last dose; discuss alternative feeding with the specialist team.
fruquintinib interactions
Check all prescribed, non-prescribed and complementary products before treatment.
Strong or moderate CYP3A inducers, including rifampicin and efavirenz
These can substantially reduce fruquintinib exposure and should be avoided during treatment.
Anticoagulants, including warfarin and acenocoumarol
These may increase bleeding risk, so closer blood and coagulation monitoring may be needed.
Common questions about fruquintinib
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Why is fruquintinib used after other colorectal cancer treatments?
Its licence is for metastatic colorectal cancer already treated with available established therapies. The oncology team assesses previous treatment, cancer characteristics and suitability.
Is fruquintinib chemotherapy?
It is a targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor rather than conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy. It blocks VEGF receptors involved in tumour blood-vessel formation.
Can fruquintinib be taken with food?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.