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Sunitinib rechallenge in advanced renal cell carcinoma: outcomes of a multicenter retrospective study

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this multicenter study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) who received sunitinib retreatment.

Methods

Clinical data from patients treated with sunitinib rechallenge in nine Spanish centers were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received first-line sunitinib until progression or intolerance, followed by one or more successive drugs and rechallenge with sunitinib thereafter.

Results

Thirty-seven patients were included. At first-line treatment, objective response rate (ORR) was 69.4% and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 19.4 months. At rechallenge, ORR was 27.2% and 39.4% of patients obtained stabilization of disease. Median PFS was 6.2 months. Clinical benefit was obtained by 21 patients (75%) with > 6-month interval between sunitinib treatments and by 1 patient (20%) among those with ≤ 6-month interval (P = 0.016). Hemoglobin levels ≥ lower level of normal were associated with clinical benefit (P = 0.019) and with PFS (P = 0.004). Median overall survival from start of first-line sunitinib was 52.7 months. No new adverse events were observed at rechallenge.

Conclusions

Sunitinib rechallenge is a feasible treatment option for selected patients with mRCC.

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Funding

This work is supported by Pfizer, Inc.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Consorci Hospitalari Provincial de Castelló, Castelló, Spain

    Javier Munárriz

  2. Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain

    Gaspar Reynés

  3. Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Campus Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Luisa Sánchez-Lorenzo

  4. Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain

    Emilio Esteban

  5. Donostialdea ESI/OSI Donostialdea, Donostia, Unibertsitate Ospitalea/Hospital Universitario Donostia, Donostia, Spain

    Laura Basterretxea

  6. Hospital San Pedro, Logroño, Spain

    Leticia de Avila-Lizárraga

  7. Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, Valencia, Spain

    Miguel Angel Climent & María José Juan-Fita

  8. Hospital Universitario de La Ribera, Valencia, Spain

    Corina Escoín

  9. Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Puente

  10. Hospital Universitario de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Spain

    Javier Cassinello

  11. Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti, Lugo, Spain

    Sergio Vázquez

  12. Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Isabel Chirivella

  13. Scio. de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Avda. Fernando Abril Martorell nº 106, 46026, Valencia, Spain

    Gaspar Reynés

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  1. Javier Munárriz
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  2. Gaspar Reynés
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Correspondence to Gaspar Reynés.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Gaspar Reynés, Dr. Puente and Dr Climent have received travel support and honoraria from Pfizer. The other authors declare to have no conflicts of interest.

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Munárriz, J., Reynés, G., Sánchez-Lorenzo, L. et al. Sunitinib rechallenge in advanced renal cell carcinoma: outcomes of a multicenter retrospective study. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 84, 781–789 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-019-03913-3

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