Treatment outcomes of sunitinib treatment in advanced renal cell carcinoma patients : a single cancer center experience in Korea

Abstract

Purpose : The retrospective study was performed to assess the efficacy and toxicity profiles of sunitinib in Korean patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Materials and Methods : Between January 2005 and December 2008, 76 Korean patients with recurrent/metastatic RCC who received sunitinib were retrospectively reviewed. The primary end point was progression-free survival and the secondary end points were overall survival and response rate. We also assessed the toxicities associated with sunitinib treatment.

Results : Of the 76 patients, 68 patients (89.5%) were diagnosed with clear cell RCC. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 7.2 and 22.8 months, respectively in overall patients. Sixty-two patients (81.6%) received 50mg 4 week and 2 week off schedule, and 14 patients (18.4%) received 37.5mg daily on a daily continuous schedule. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 27.6% and 84.2%, respectively. A dose interruption or reduction in dose due to adverse events occurred in 76% of the patients, whereas 12% of these patients had discontinued treatment. Other common laboratory abnormalities were increased serum creatinine (75.6%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (71.0%), neutropenia (61.8%), anemia (69.7%), and increased aspartate aminotransferase (53.3%). Grade 3/4 toxicities occurred as follows: thrombocytopenia (38.2%), fatigue (10.5%), stomatitis (10.5%), and hand-foot syndrome (9.2%).

Conclusion : Our results indicate that sunitinib treatment is effective and tolerable for recurrent/metastatic RCC patients in Korea. Further studies with prognostic or biochemical factors are needed to clarify the different toxicity profiles of this study.