Sorafenib: In advanced renal cancer

▲ Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that targets the mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathway and receptor tyrosine kinases involved in tumour proliferation and angiogenesis. ▲ In the large, phase III, randomised, double-blind, multicentre Treatment Approaches in Renal Cancer Global Evaluation Trial (TARGET) of patients with advanced clear-cell renal cell cancer in whom previous systemic therapy had failed, median progression-free survival was doubled in patients receiving sorafenib compared with those receiving placebo (5.9 vs 2.8mo). ▲ Significantly more patients receiving sorafenib than those receiving placebo in the phase III trial experienced complete or partial responses or stable disease. ▲ Age, risk-assessment score, prior treatment, metastasis in lung or liver, or time from diagnosis did not affect the improved progression-free survival in sorafenib recipients. ▲ In a randomised, phase II discontinuation trial of patients with advanced renal cancer, in which only those showing stable disease with sorafenib were randomised to further sorafenib or placebo, more patients receiving sorafenib were free of progressive disease 12 weeks after randomisation than were those receiving placebo, and median progression free survival was longer in sorafenib recipients. ▲ In clinical trials, most drug-related adverse events were mild to moderate in severity. Grade 3/4 hand-foot skin reaction and hypertension occurred more often with sorafenib than with placebo. © 2007 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.