Everolimus
Everolimus is a targeted cancer tablet used for advanced breast cancer, neuroendocrine tumours and kidney cancer, listed here as Afinitor in 5mg and 10mg strengths.
What everolimus treats
Everolimus is a cancer medicine taken by mouth, in the targeted therapy group — drugs that act on a particular molecule inside cancer cells. It is used for advanced breast cancer that is hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative, alongside a hormonal drug called exemestane, after the disease has progressed on another hormonal treatment. It also treats neuroendocrine tumours — cancers that start in hormone-producing cells — of the pancreas, gut and lung, and a kidney cancer known as renal cell carcinoma. At much lower doses, the same ingredient helps stop a donated kidney or heart being rejected.
How everolimus works
Cells read their growth and nutrient signals through a protein called mTOR, and tumour cells that lean on that pathway multiply faster. Everolimus switches mTOR off. A second effect is on angiogenesis, the growth of the new blood vessels that supply a tumour. The same block explains the transplant use, because immune cells that would attack a donor kidney or heart are held back.
Taking the tablets
The dose is one tablet a day, swallowed whole with water; crushing or chewing it is out. Choose an hour and hold to it, and treat meals the same way: with food or without is fine, provided it is the same every day. Grapefruit and its juice change how the liver clears everolimus, so avoid both. Regular blood tests track blood counts, sugar, cholesterol and liver and kidney function, and the dose can be changed on the results.
Side effects
A sore mouth or mouth ulcers is the complaint people notice most. Rash, tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea, poor appetite and infections also occur, and blood tests often pick up raised blood sugar or cholesterol before anything is felt. Swelling of the hands, feet or ankles is another possibility. Serious problems are less common: a dry cough or breathlessness that will not settle, fever with chills, unusual bruising or bleeding, or changes in kidney function. A severe allergic reaction — swelling of the face, lips or throat, or difficulty breathing — needs urgent treatment.
The everolimus listing
The range holds one everolimus product, Afinitor, in 5mg and 10mg tablets. Both strengths are taken the same way; which one is used depends on the cancer being treated and on blood test results along the way. It belongs to the oncology category, and no everolimus combinations are listed alongside it.
Sources
- Everolimus 5 mg Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 12239 — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)
- Everolimus - Macmillan Cancer Support — Macmillan Cancer Support
Where can I buy Everolimus in Hong Kong?
Everolimus can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong, listed as generic Afinitor tablets in 5mg and 10mg. A parcel that does not arrive within the delivery window, or arrives damaged, is sent again free, and if a replacement is not possible the order is refunded.
How are Everolimus prices shown?
The price depends on the strength and pack size you choose. The Afinitor page shows current prices in HKD or the currency you select.
Can I buy generic Afinitor in Hong Kong?
Yes, generic Afinitor is listed as 5mg and 10mg tablets and contains everolimus. It is the only version of everolimus in the range, so there is no separate plain listing alongside it.
What brand names does everolimus have?
Afinitor and Certican are brand names of everolimus. Here, everolimus can be bought online as generic Afinitor. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is Afinitor the same as everolimus?
Afinitor is the brand name for everolimus, so the tablets contain the same active ingredient either way. The range lists it as Afinitor in 5mg and 10mg tablets; there is no second everolimus product to compare it with.
Can I drink grapefruit juice with everolimus?
Better not: grapefruit and grapefruit juice change how the liver breaks everolimus down, which can raise the amount circulating in the body. That applies to the fruit itself as well as the juice, so it is best left out for the whole course rather than only on dose days.
What happens if I miss a dose of everolimus?
A late tablet is no cause for alarm, but never add an extra one the next day to compensate. Take it when you notice, then go back to a single tablet at the usual hour.
Does everolimus cause mouth ulcers?
Often, yes. A sore mouth is the side effect most people meet, typically in the first weeks. Soft, bland food and a soft toothbrush take some of the sting out, and rinses help ulcers that linger.
Is everolimus chemotherapy?
No, it counts as targeted therapy. Chemotherapy drugs hit any cell that divides fast, whereas everolimus blocks mTOR, a single protein that tumour cells rely on to grow. Transplant teams use the same block, at lower doses, to calm immune cells.