Sunitinib Treatment Breaks Feasible for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Recent research conducted by Moshe C. Ornstein, MD, MA, and colleagues demonstrates that periodic sunitinib treatment breaks balance toxicity with clinical benefit and are a feasible option for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). In this prospective phase 2 trial, researchers treated patients who had undergone no prior systemic treatment with 50 mg sunitinib once per day for the first 28 days of a 42-day cycle. Unless toxicity or disease progression became unacceptable, patients were treated for four cycles.

Of the 37 patients who completed four cycles, 20 were eligible for subsequent intermittent therapy. Treatment interruptions were based on a reduction in tumor burden, and treatment was reinitiated upon tumor growth. Data from these patients show that extended breaks from treatment are feasible and result in clinical efficacy similar to that found in prior studies exploring sunitinib treatment in mRCC.

This trial is the first to investigate renal cell carcinoma treatment in which interruptions and reinitiations were based on tumor burden reduction and tumor growth.

To read the full article, visit the Journal of Clinical Oncology.