Psychiatric adverse reactions to non-selective RET multi-kinase inhibitors: a large-scale pharmacovigilance analysis

Xuyan Wang1, Donghong Yin2, Yang Tang3

  • 1Central Laboratory, Shanxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.

PubMed

Insights

Non-selective multi-kinase inhibitors (MKIs) can cause serious psychiatric adverse events, including hospitalization and death. Clinicians should monitor patients for these risks, especially with sorafenib, sunitinib, cabozantinib, and lenvatinib.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacovigilance
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Non-selective multi-kinase inhibitors (MKIs) improve cancer survival but can cause psychiatric adverse events (AEs).
  • These AEs are often overlooked, impacting patient functioning.
  • Evaluating psychiatric AEs of RET MKIs is crucial for clinical practice optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe and evaluate psychiatric AEs associated with non-selective RET MKIs.
  • To provide evidence for optimizing drug administration in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of spontaneous reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
  • Inclusion of psychiatric AEs linked to sorafenib, lenvatinib, vandetanib, cabozantinib, and sunitinib.
  • Utilized statistical algorithms (ROR, PRR, BCPNN, MGPS) for signal detection (Jan 2004–Sep 2022).

Main Results:

  • 1,108 psychiatric AEs reported for non-selective RET MKIs; 706 were adverse drug reactions (ADRs).
  • Hospitalization (69.0%) and death (26.5%) were common serious outcomes.
  • Sunitinib and lenvatinib showed high death rates; cabozantinib strongly associated with feeding disorder.

Conclusions:

  • Four non-selective RET MKIs (sorafenib, sunitinib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib) are associated with significant psychiatric AEs.
  • Vandetanib appears to have a lower risk profile.
  • Clinical vigilance and monitoring for potentially fatal psychiatric AEs are essential.

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