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Sunitinib for the treatment of thyroid cancer

José-Manuel Gómez-Sáez1

  • 1a Researcher of CIBERDEM (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas), Endocrinology Service , Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge , Barcelona , Spain.

Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs
|September 29, 2016
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Sunitinib shows anti-tumoral effects in advanced differentiated and medullary thyroid cancers. Further randomized trials are needed to confirm its efficacy compared to other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Sunitinib is an oral oxindol derivative and a multitargeted tyrosine-kinase inhibitor.
  • It exhibits antitumor and antiangiogenic activity by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate sunitinib as a promising therapy for thyroid cancer compared to other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors.
  • To review the efficacy of sunitinib in advanced differentiated and medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Main Methods:

  • Review of seven open-label studies on sunitinib treatment.
  • Analysis of objective response rates (partial response, stable disease, progressive disease) and progression-free survival.

Main Results:

  • In advanced differentiated thyroid carcinoma, partial response ranged from 13% to 55.5%, and progression-free survival was 3 to 13.3 months.
  • In medullary thyroid carcinoma, partial response ranged from 0% to 55%, and progression-free survival was 7 to 21 months.

Conclusions:

  • Sunitinib demonstrates potent anti-tumoral activity in both differentiated and medullary thyroid carcinomas.
  • Results from single-arm, open-label trials are limited; further randomized trials are warranted to validate these findings.
Keywords:
Differentiated thyroid carcinomamedullary thyroid carcinomaopen-label trialsrandomized trialssunitinibtyrosine-kinase inhibitors

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