Sorafenib Trial for Kidney Cancer Brings Expected Results

Learn why this new treatment is a sign of hope

After a near-decade dry spell in new treatments for advanced kidney cancer treatment, the FDA’s recent approval of sorafenib (Nexavar®) for use in kidney cancer patients is a sign of hope, says oncologist Suresh Nair, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN). Sorafenib blocks cancer cell growth and blood supply to tumors by inhibiting both RAF kinase and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) within cancer cells.

In 2005, LVHHN participated in the expanded access (phase IV) trial of sorafenib for advanced kidney cancer. Results were consistent with prior studies— about half of the 10 participants benefited from taking sorafenib for four to six months. “Sorafenib is not a cure, but it gives patients another option,” Nair says.

FDA approval also has rejuvenated interest in kidney cancer research, and other pharmaceutical companies are developing their own therapies, Nair says. It’s a bonus for patients, since combining sorafenib with other therapies shows additional promise. “Combining these therapies gives kidney cancer patients even more hope," Nair says, "and if we are able to combine several of treatments, we can get closer to a cure.”

Sorafenib is an oral drug with moderate to low side effects for most patients. Compared with other cancer treatments, it’s easier to take and less toxic. Because of the way it targets the molecular basis of cancer, sorafenib also shows promise in treating melanoma, glioblastoma, advanced bladder cancer and lung cancer.

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