Tepotinib and Hearing Loss
No, tepotinib itself does not cause hearing loss. You are likely confusing tepotinib with teprotumumab, a completely different medication that is well-documented to cause sensorineural hearing loss.
Critical Distinction Between Two Different Drugs
Tepotinib (MET Inhibitor for NSCLC)
- Tepotinib is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for non-small cell lung cancer with MET exon 14 skipping mutations 1
- No ototoxicity has been reported with tepotinib in clinical practice or guidelines 1
- The primary concern with tepotinib relates to drug-drug interactions via P-gp and BCRP inhibition, particularly affecting anticoagulant dosing 1
- Tepotinib's side effect profile does not include hearing-related adverse events 1
Teprotumumab (IGF-1R Inhibitor for Thyroid Eye Disease)
- Teprotumumab causes tinnitus and hearing impairment as recognized adverse effects 1
- Should be used with caution in patients with pre-existing hearing loss due to risk of worsening 1
- Hearing dysfunction occurs in approximately 41-81.5% of patients treated with teprotumumab, with sensorineural hearing loss documented on audiometry 2, 3
- Hearing loss may be irreversible in many cases, with only 45.5% experiencing resolution of subjective hearing loss after treatment discontinuation 3
Clinical Implications for Tepotinib Use
- Tepotinib can be safely prescribed without concern for ototoxicity 1
- Focus monitoring on renal function and drug interactions rather than auditory function 1
- No baseline audiometry or hearing monitoring is required for tepotinib therapy 1
If You Meant Teprotumumab
- Baseline audiometry with patulous eustachian tube testing is recommended before initiating therapy 3
- Repeat audiometric testing should be performed if new otologic symptoms develop during treatment 3
- Prior history of hearing loss is a significant risk factor for teprotumumab-related sensorineural hearing loss (P = 0.008) 3
- Hearing loss typically affects middle to high frequencies, with 53% of cases showing shifts exclusively in ultrahigh frequency ranges 2
- Symptoms typically appear after a mean of 3.8 infusions 3