Tablets are brown, round, biconvex, impressed with “IRESSA 250” on one side and plain on the other. IRESSA is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating mutations of EGFR-TK (see section 4.4).Gefitinib is pronounced jeh-fit-ih-nib. It is also known as Iressa. Gefitinib is a treatment for non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread into the surrounding tissues (locally advanced) or to other parts of the body.The active substance in Iressa, gefitinib, is a protein-tyrosine-kinase inhibitor. This means that it blocks specific enzymes known as tyrosine kinases. These enzymes can be found on the surface of cancer cells, such as EGFR on the surface of non-small-cell-lung-cancer cells.

Gefitinib is associated with less fatigue, myelosuppression and nausea than chemotherapy (but produces more skin rash, diarrhea and pneumonitis). Patients receiving gefitinib have improved quality-of-life compared to those receiving chemotherapy, making it an appropriate first-line choice.

Tablets are brown, round, biconvex, impressed with “IRESSA 250” on one side and plain on the other. IRESSA is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating mutations of EGFR-TK (see section 4.4).Gefitinib is pronounced jeh-fit-ih-nib. It is also known as Iressa. Gefitinib is a treatment for non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread into the surrounding tissues (locally advanced) or to other parts of the body.The active substance in Iressa, gefitinib, is a protein-tyrosine-kinase inhibitor. This means that it blocks specific enzymes known as tyrosine kinases. These enzymes can be found on the surface of cancer cells, such as EGFR on the surface of non-small-cell-lung-cancer cells.

Gefitinib is associated with less fatigue, myelosuppression and nausea than chemotherapy (but produces more skin rash, diarrhea and pneumonitis). Patients receiving gefitinib have improved quality-of-life compared to those receiving chemotherapy, making it an appropriate first-line choice.