(RA-myoo-SIR-yoo-mab)
Ramucirumab works by blocking a protein called VEGFR-2, which some cancer cells produce in large amounts. Blocking VEGFR-2 may prevent the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. Ramucirumab is a type of targeted therapy drug called an angiogenesis inhibitor.
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Ramucirumab is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:
- Colorectal cancer that has metastasized. It is used with FOLFIRI in patients whose disease has gotten worse during or after treatment with bevacizumab, oxaliplatin, and a fluoropyrimidine.
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer). It is used alone in patients who have a high level of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood and have been treated with sorafenib tosylate.
- Non-small cell lung cancer that has metastasized. It is used:
- With erlotinib hydrochloride as first-line therapy in patients whose disease has certain mutations in the EGFR gene.
- With docetaxel in patients whose disease has gotten worse during or after treatment with platinum chemotherapy. For patients whose disease has a mutation in the EGFR gene or ALK gene, ramucirumab is used if their disease has gotten worse after treatment with FDA-approved therapy for these mutations.
- Stomach adenocarcinoma or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (a rare type of esophageal cancer) that is advanced or has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body). It is used in patients whose disease has gotten worse after treatment with a fluoropyrimidine or platinum chemotherapy. It is used alone or with paclitaxel.
Ramucirumab is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
More About Ramucirumab
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary – Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
More About Ramucirumab – A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Research Results and Related Resources
Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Ramucirumab – Check for trials from NCI’s list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.
