Sutent Efficacy

When sutent is prescribed for the treatment of a certain type of cancer, as discussed previously, Sutent efficacy must be clearly understood before hand. Sutent efficacy is basically the capacity or the ability of drug to produce its effect in the body. This drug is being used for around six years now for the treatment of RCC and GIST and this entirely pertains to the fruitful outcomes it brings on in most patients. Its status of a first line drug for the treatment of both types of cancer is itself an indicator of Sutent efficacy. According to studies conducted by Pfizer, Sutent efficacy was established, as 95% of patients who were given sutent responded to it with in 24 weeks of its administration. In addition, around 47% of the patients showed anti cancer responses. Sutent efficacy can be further illustrated by the observation that the patients on this medication show an average survival of 26.4 months. So, let alone sutent, efficacy of any drug is must to be determined before it is used on a regular basis; however in the case of this very medication, it becomes more important as it is intended to increase one’s life span.

Sutent effectiveness is described as the magnitude of the effects this drug produces on the body by inhibiting the growth of tumor tissues. According to an experiment, funded by Pfizer, performed on 750 renal cancer patients in which half were given sutent and the rest were given interferon-alpha; it was found out that out of the 375, receiving sutent had a survival time of around 24 – 25 months after the treatment had started. While the 375 patients who received interferon- alpha had a survival time of around 21 – 22 months. So, the Sutent effectiveness can be clearly inferred from the above experiment.

As mentioned, Sutent effectiveness on kidney cancer has been approved by the FDA since 2006 and from then on, it is being used as the first line of drug for the concerned type of cancer. In order to bring to light the actual orbit of sutent effectiveness on kidney cancer, we would better be considering same trial, as mentioned above, in another dimension. In the trial, it was observed that 28% of the patients on sutent achieved PR (30% or more decrease in the diameter of tumor) while only 5% of the other group did so. When the two groups were again examined after two years the percentages came out to be 39% and 8% respectively.

After determining the effectiveness of the drug, we try to predict its possible outcomes in the patients. So, for that Sutent results are studied very deeply. Usually sutent does produce positive proceeds in a patient but this may not be true for all patients, since every one has its own genetic makeup. However, in addition to the positive results, it may also bring forth some adverse effects.

Sutent response rate refers to the extent of response made by sutent in a particular length of time. According to the above mentioned trial performed on patients with stage 3 kidney cancer, the response rate is found out to be:

Out of the 375 patients who received this drug, 143 responded with in 2.7 week; while those who were given interferon-alpha, 123 of them produced response in around 3.8 weeks.
So, in general, the response in the first group was brought on in as early as 3.7 weeks and as late as 48.7 weeks; while in other group, response appeared as early as 3.9 weeks and as late as 43.8 weeks.

So, Sutent response rate was found to be much faster than that of interferon-alpha.

Many drugs have the tendency to be resisted by the body on continual use. In case of this very drug, the same consequences may spring up if continued for a long time. This is termed as Sutent resistance. Studies show that sutent resistance occurs as a result of secretion of interleukin-8 (IL-8) by the tumor cells. So, if IL-8 neutralizing antibodies are administered along with the drug, the tumor cells will again start responding to the drug and the situation would be handled. In order to avoid the situation of development of resistance by the body, the whole treatment is broken down in to several cycles.