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The multikinase inhibitor sunitinib doubled the time to progression in advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours and was approved at the same time as everolimus, giving the disease its first targeted therapies.
Phase 3 placebo-controlled trial of 171 patients with advanced, well-differentiated, progressive pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours randomised to sunitinib 37.5 mg daily or placebo, stopped early after an independent monitoring committee observed more deaths and serious events with placebo.
Median progression-free survival was 11.4 versus 5.5 months (hazard ratio 0.42) with response of 9.3 versus 0 percent; hypertension, hand-foot syndrome and fatigue were the main toxicities.
Sunitinib is a standard targeted option for progressive pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours; the choice between it and everolimus is guided by comorbidity and side-effect profile.
Shares Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, New England Journal of Medicine.
Shares Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, New England Journal of Medicine.
Shares Sunitinib, New England Journal of Medicine.
Shares Sunitinib, New England Journal of Medicine.
Shares Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, New England Journal of Medicine.