Question

All of the following are true about erlotinib except?

• A. Small molecule inhibitor of tyrosine kinase associated with EGFR receptors
• B. Food delays its absorption
• C. Acneiform eruptions and diarrhea are its common side effects
• D. Used in non-small cell lung cancer when there is no response to other chemotherapeutic agents

Hint:

Think about whether food raises or lowers EGFR-inhibitor bioavailability and why it is taken on an empty stomach.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Erlotinib is an orally active targeted anticancer agent that blocks the intracellular tyrosine kinase region of the EGFR (HER1) signalling pathway, which validates the description in option A as accurate. The key pharmacokinetic point being tested is the meal interaction: a high-fat meal does not slow erlotinib down, it pushes absorption up so much that bioavailability approaches 100% compared with roughly 60% in the fasted state. Because this can raise drug exposure to potentially toxic levels, the standard instruction is to dose it on an empty stomach, meaning the claim that food delays absorption is the incorrect statement. Reviewing the remaining choices: the dose-limiting and most recognisable toxicities of EGFR-directed therapy are a dose-related acneiform rash over the face and trunk together with diarrhea, confirming option C, and the recognised clinical role of erlotinib is in non-small cell lung cancer, typically as later-line therapy after other regimens have failed, confirming option D. Since the prompt requests the false statement, the food-delays-absorption option stands out as the answer.\[\boxed{\text{Food delays its absorption}}\]