Cancer drugs A to Z list
Sotorasib is a type of targeted cancer drug. You pronounce it as so-tour-ah-sib. It is also called Lumykras.
It is a treatment for non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that is . Or the lung cancer has spread to other parts of the body (advanced or metastatic).
You have this medicine if your cancer has a particular called KRAS G12C. You have tests on your cancer cells to check this.
You may have sotorasib as part of a .
Sotorasib is a type of targeted drug called a cancer growth blocker. It works by blocking a protein called KRAS G12C on cancer cells which tell the cancer to grow. By blocking this protein sotorasib may shrink the cancer or stop it growing for some time. Sotorasib is also called a KRAS G12C inhibitor.
Find out more about how cancer growth blockers work
You take sotorasib as tablets. You swallow the tablets whole. If you are unable to swallow the tablets speak with your pharmacist.
You should take the right dose, not more or less.
Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug, or if you have missed a dose.
You take sotorasib once a day at the same time each day. You take the medicine for as long as the treatment is working, and you are not experiencing too many side effects.
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Before treatment starts you may have a blood test to check for viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and . This is called a viral screen.
It’s important for your doctor to know if you have had any of these viruses. This is because this treatment can weaken your and can cause the virus to become active again (reactivation).
Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatments you're having.
Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:
you have severe side effects
your side effects aren’t getting any better
your side effects are getting worse
Early treatment can help manage side effects better.
We haven't listed all the side effects here. Talk to your healthcare team if you have any new symptoms that you think might be a side effect of your treatment.
Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects. But you might have some of them at the same time.
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
You might be breathless and look pale due to a drop in red blood cells. This is called anaemia.
Tell your healthcare team if you keep getting headaches. They can give you painkillers to help.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you’re breathless or have a cough. This could be due to scarring and inflammation of the lungs. Or it could be because of an infection, such as pneumonia, but this is less common.
Let your doctor or nurse know straight away if you suddenly become breathless or develop a cough.
Contact your advice line if you have diarrhoea. For example, in one day you have 2 or more loose bowel movements than usual. If you have a , you might have more output than normal. Your doctor may give you anti diarrhoea medicine to take home with you after treatment.
Try to eat small meals and snacks regularly. It’s best to try to have a healthy balanced diet if you can. You don’t necessarily need to stop eating foods that contain fibre. But if your diet is normally very high in fibre, it might help to cut back on high fibre foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bran and raw vegetables.
Drink plenty to try and replace the fluid lost. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Feeling or being sick is usually well controlled with anti sickness medicines. It might help to avoid fatty or fried foods, eat small meals and snacks and take regular sips of water. Relaxation techniques might also help.
It is important to take anti sickness medicines as prescribed even if you don’t feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness rather than treat it once it has started.
You might feel some pain from your tummy, muscles, joints and back. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what painkillers you can take to help with this.
is easier to sort out if you treat it early. Drink plenty and eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you can. Try to take gentle exercise, such as walking. Tell your healthcare team if you think you are constipated. They can give you a laxative if needed.
The changes are usually very mild and unlikely to cause symptoms. They will almost certainly go back to normal when treatment is finished.
Symptoms of liver problems include yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes. Your pee might be dark. You may feel or be sick. You may lose your appetite and lose weight. You may feel tired and weak.
You have regular blood tests throughout your treatment so your doctor can check this. Let them know if you have any symptoms.
You might feel very tired and as though you lack energy.
Various things can help you to reduce tiredness and cope with it, for example exercise. Some research has shown that taking gentle exercise can give you more energy. It is important to balance exercise with resting.
You might get a high temperature (fever) for a few hours after having this treatment. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have a fever.
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
high blood pressure
swelling of the hands and feet
loss of appetite
low levels of potassium, sodium and calcium in the blood
rash
infection of the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes your bladder, and kidneys. Symptoms can include pain or burning when peeing, you may need to pee more often than usual, or it may be sudden and urgent. Let your healthcare team know if you have any problems when you pee
This is a new drug in cancer treatment. So there is limited information available at the moment about possible rare and longer term effects that it may cause. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is not normal for you.
We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.
Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We are unable to list all the possible interactions that may happen. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.
Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies you may have.
It is not known whether this treatment affects in people. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.
It is unknown whether treatment may or may not harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to become pregnant or get someone pregnant while you are having treatment. Let your team know straight away if you or your partner become pregnant while having treatment.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception you can use during treatment. Ask how long you should use it before starting treatment and after treatment has finished.
It is not known whether this drug comes through into the breast milk. Doctors usually advise that you don’t breastfeed during this treatment.
If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.
Don’t have immunisations with live vaccines while you’re having treatment and for up to 12 months afterwards. The length of time depends on the treatment you are having.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist how long you should avoid live vaccinations.
In the UK, live vaccines include rubella, mumps, measles, BCG, and yellow fever.
You can usually have:
other vaccines, but they might not give you as much protection as usual
the flu vaccine (as an injection)
the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the best time to have a vaccine in relation to your cancer treatment.
You can be in contact with other people who have had live vaccines as injections. If someone has had a live vaccine by mouth or nasal spray there may be a small risk the vaccine virus can be passed onto you if your is weakened.
Your healthcare team will let you know if you need to take any precautions if you are in close contact with someone who has had a live vaccine.
Read more about immunisations and cancer treatment
For further information about this treatment and possible side effects go to the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website. You can find the patient information leaflet on this website.
You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.
Last reviewed: 14 May 2025
Next review due: 14 May 2028
Lung cancer starts in the windpipe (trachea), the main airway (bronchus) or the lung tissue. Cancer that starts in the lung is called primary lung cancer.
A team of health professionals decides what treatment you might need. They also decide what treatment options you have. The type of treatment you have for non small cell lung cancer will depend on the stage of your cancer.
Cancer drugs have side effects and these can vary from person to person. But there are things that you can do to help you cope.
Coping with cancer can be difficult. There is help and support available. Find out about the emotional, physical and practical effects of cancer and how to manage them.
Targeted cancer drugs work by ‘targeting’ the differences that help a cancer cell to survive and grow. There are many different types of targeted drugs.
Our clinical trials aim to find out if a new treatment or procedure is safe, is better than the current treatment or helps you feel better.
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