Sunitinib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: recommendations for management of noncardiovascular toxicities

Pathogenesis of Oral Toxicities Associated with Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have redefined cancer treatment. While they have enhanced tumor response and improved survival rates in many cancer types, toxicities continue to occur, and these often involve the oral cavity. Broadly reported as "mucositis" or "stomatitis," oral toxicities induced by targeted therapies differ clinically and mechanistically from those associated with conventional chemotherapy. Manifesting primarily as mucosal lesions, salivary gland hypofunction, or orofacial neuropathies, these oral toxicities may nonetheless lead to significant morbidity and impact patients' quality of life, thereby compromising clinical outcomes. We conclude that familiarity with the spectrum of associated toxicities and understanding of their pathogenesis represent important areas of clinical research and may lead to better characterization, prevention, and management of these adverse events.

Management of adverse events associated with cabozantinib plus nivolumab in renal cell carcinoma: A review

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been successfully developed in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), further advancing treatment. While safety profiles are generally manageable with combination regimens, overlapping adverse events (AEs) and immune-related AEs can make treatment more complex. The CheckMate 9ER study evaluated the tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib in combination with the anti-programmed cell death protein-1 antibody nivolumab in patients with previously untreated advanced RCC. Cabozantinib + nivolumab demonstrated superiority over sunitinib for progression-free survival, overall survival, and objective response rate. These outcomes supported the approval of cabozantinib + nivolumab as a first-line therapy for advanced RCC. The safety profile was manageable with prophylaxis, supportive care, dose holds and reductions for cabozantinib, and dose holds and immunosuppressive therapy for nivolumab. This review discusses the safety results of CheckMate 9ER and provides guidance on managing some of the more clinically relevant AEs with a focus on overlapping AEs, including diarrhea, elevated amylase/lipase, hepatotoxicity, dermatologic reactions, fatigue, endocrine disorders, and nephrotoxicity. We discuss AE management strategies (prophylaxis, supportive care, dose modification, and immunosuppressive therapy), and provide recommendations for identifying the causative agent of overlapping AEs and for consulting specialists about organ-specific immune-related AEs. Optimizing AE management can maintain tolerability and should be a priority with cabozantinib + nivolumab treatment.

Supportive therapy and complementary medicine in renal cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

As part of the German interdisciplinary S3-guideline "Diagnosis, Treatment and Followup of Renal Cell Carcinoma", this article aimes to provide guidance regarding the use of supportive therapy and complementary medicine in patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

METHODS

The German interdisciplinary S3-guidelines are national clinical practice guidelines that implement the highest methodological quality of evidence-based medicine. Recommendations and evidence-based statements are provided according to available evidence.

RESULTS

Supportive and palliative care are important areas of tumor treatment and require knowledge on the management of a variety of issues. This article outlines the management of tumor-related symptoms such as pain, undesired treatment-related effects, palliative care and end-of-life care in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

Patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma should have access to supportive and palliative care according to their individual needs. There is very limited evidence regarding the impact of complementary medicine for the treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Sunitinib induced colitis manifesting as invasive diarrhea in a patient with renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Sunitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that binds to vascular endothelial factor receptor currently used for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, as well as for several other conditions such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. We present a patient with invasive diarrhea who was treated with sunitinib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

CASE REPORT

Drug induced colitis was confirmed with colonoscopy from histopathological specimens. Clinical recovery of diarrhea was achieved with oral budesonide. Remarkably, the pathologic findings were observed in both the macroscopically normal mucosa and the mucosa with aphthous ulcers in the colon.

MANAGEMENT & OUTCOME

The patient was treated for sunitinib associated diarrhea, after exclusion of the other reasons. Metronidazole and piperacillin/tazobactam treatment were prescribed.

DISCUSSION

Diarrhea is a frequent symptom in patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, however the described pathologic findings have rarely been reported. Our aim is to emphasize the importance of close follow-up in patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and to raise awareness on the management of sunitinib induced colitis.

Ten years-experience of sunitinib in the treatment of advanced pan-NETs: an update on safety profile

INTRODUCTION

Sunitinib still represents a milestone in the treatment for progressive, well-differentiated, advanced panNETs.

AREAS COVERED

We performed an evidence reappraisal to critically discuss its safety profile. We included nine studies, five clinical trials and four real-world (RW) studies. Within non-real-world (NRW) studies, diarrhea was the most frequent clinical AE. With regard to G3-4 AEs, fatigue and hypertension were the two most frequent, while neutropenia was the most recurrent hematological one. Considering four real-world trials, hand-foot-syndrome (HFS) was the most frequent clinical any-grade AE of any grade and neutropenia was the most common G3-4. Alongside to the AEs rate, the discontinuation rate of sunitinib due to TRAEs was variable among all the nine selected studies, ranging from 10% to 35% in the NRW setting and from 7% to 31% in the RW setting. Conversely, temporary interruption is an accepted strategy to reduce toxicity, even though not specifically tested in pan-NET.

EXPERT OPINION

Till now, sunitinib continues to be one of the main therapeutic options for patients with well differentiated advanced panNETs, potentially covering any line of treatment. Therefore, tolerability plays a crucial role to increase adherence to therapy and maximize QoL.

Cancer Chemotherapy-Induced Oral Adverse Events: Oral Dysesthesia and Toothache - A Retrospective Study

Introduction

Due to the development of newly developed anticancer drugs, oral dysesthesia and toothache other than conventional oral mucositis, dry mouth, and dysgeusia are increasing among oral adverse events. The objective of this study was to assess the characteristics of chemotherapy-induced oral dysesthesia and toothache.

Materials and Methods

Subjects were patients referred to the oral surgery clinic for oral adverse events related to cancer chemotherapy and with an observation period of more than 1 month after the last course of chemotherapy. Oral adverse events were divided according to the categories of the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, v5.0. Statistical comparison was made using the binomial test.

Results

A total of 180 patients were referred to the oral surgery clinic. Oral dysesthesia and/or toothache was found in 15 cases, which included 13 with oral dysesthesia, 4 with toothache, and 2 with both oral dysesthesia and toothache. Of these 15 cases, 13 had concomitant occurrence of peripheral neuropathy (PN) (86.7%, P = 0.0037) and 12 cases had dysgeusia (80.0%, P = 0.0176). Symptoms of oral dysesthesia and/or toothache continued after chemotherapy in 10 of 15 cases with the continuation of accompanied PN (66.7%) and/or dysgeusia and persisted for more than 6 months in 5 cases (33.3%).

Discussion

Although oral dysesthesia and toothache are low-grade chemotherapy-induced adverse events, it is suggested that they may be nervous system disorders rather than gastrointestinal disorders. Clinicians should understand that they potentially persist for a long period after the end of chemotherapy.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Sunitinib in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors and Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in Adults-A Review

BACKGROUND

Sunitinib is an inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases and is a standard-of-care treatment for advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma and a second-line treatment in locally advanced inoperable and metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors. A fixed dose of the drug, however, does not produce a uniform therapeutic outcome in all patients, and many face adverse effects and/or toxicity. One of the possible causes of the interindividual variability in the efficacy and toxicity response is the highly variable systemic exposure to sunitinib and its active metabolite. This review aims to summarize all available clinical evidence of the treatment of adult patients using sunitinib in approved indications, addressing the necessity to introduce proper and robust therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of sunitinib and its major metabolite, N-desethylsunitinib.

METHODS

The authors performed a systematic search of the available scientific literature using the PubMed online database. The search terms were "sunitinib" AND "therapeutic drug monitoring" OR "TDM" OR "plasma levels" OR "concentration" OR "exposure." The search yielded 520 journal articles. In total, 447 publications were excluded because they lacked sufficient relevance to the reviewed topic. The remaining 73 articles were, together with currently valid guidelines, thoroughly reviewed.

RESULTS

There is sufficient evidence confirming the concentration-efficacy and concentration-toxicity relationship in the indications of gastrointestinal stromal tumors and metastatic renal clear-cell carcinoma. For optimal therapeutic response, total (sunitinib + N-desethylsunitinib) trough levels of 50-100 ng/mL serve as a reasonable target therapeutic range. To avoid toxicity, the total trough levels should not exceed 100 ng/mL.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the current evidence presented in this review, a TDM-guided dose modification of sunitinib in selected groups of patients could provide a better treatment outcome while simultaneously preventing sunitinib toxicity.

Pharmacogenetics for severe adverse drug reactions induced by molecular-targeted therapy

Molecular-targeted drugs specifically interfere with molecules that are frequently overexpressed or mutated in cancer cells. As such, these drugs are generally considered to precisely attack cancer cells, thereby inducing fewer adverse drug reactions (ADRs). However, molecular-targeted drugs can still cause characteristic ADRs that, although rarely severe, can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to predict which patients are at risk of developing ADRs after treatment with molecular-targeted therapy. The emerging field of pharmacogenetics aims to better distinguish the genetic variants associated with drug toxicity and efficacy to improve the selection of therapeutic strategies for each genetic profile. Here, we provide an overview of the current reports on the relationship between genetic variants and molecular-targeted drug-induced severe ADRs in oncology.

Adverse Drug Events in the Oral Cavity

Adverse reactions to medications are common and may have a variety of clinical presentations in the oral cavity. Targeted therapies and new biologic agents have revolutionized the treatment of cancers, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory and rheumatologic diseases but have also been associated with adverse events in the oral cavity. This review describes the most common clinical presentations of oral mucosal reactions to medications, namely hyposalivation, lichenoid reactions, ulcers, bullous disorders, pigmentation, fibrovascular hyperplasia, reactive keratosis, dysesthesia, osteonecrosis, infection, angioedema, and malignancy.

Management of Adverse Events Associated with Cabozantinib Treatment in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Cabozantinib is an oral multikinase inhibitor whose targets include vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, MET, and the TAM family of kinases (TYRO3, AXL, MER). Cabozantinib is approved for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who have been previously treated with sorafenib, based on improved overall survival and progression-free survival relative to placebo in the phase III CELESTIAL study. During CELESTIAL, the most common adverse events (AEs) experienced by patients receiving cabozantinib included palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, fatigue, gastrointestinal-related events, and hypertension. These AEs can significantly impact treatment tolerability and patient quality of life. However, AEs can be effectively managed with supportive care and dose modifications. During CELESTIAL, more than half of the patients receiving cabozantinib required a dose reduction, while the rate of treatment discontinuation due to AEs was low. Here, we review the safety profile of cabozantinib and provide guidance on the prevention and management of the more common AEs, based on current evidence from the literature as well as our clinical experience. We consider the specific challenges faced by clinicians in treating this patient population and discuss factors that may affect exposure and tolerability to cabozantinib.

Metastatic Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor Of The Kidney: A Case Report With Emphasis On Response To The Tyrosine-Kinase Inhibitor Sunitinib

Several case reports have provided most of the information available on perivascular epithelioid cell tumors, but with no consensus regarding diagnosis or treatment paradigms. Sunitinb is a VEGFR multitargeted tyrosine-kinase inhibitor that is regarded as a first-line treatment of clear cell–type metastatic renal-cell carcinoma after cytoreductive surgery. Our case was a 29-year-old male who presented with a metastatic left renal tumor and underwent left partial nephrectomy followed by adjuvant tyrosine kinase–inhibitor treatment. We report this case to present the peculiarity of this rare pathological variant, its clinical and diagnostic features, and challenges regarding treatment options, since the response of this rare tumor to adjuvant tyrosine kinase–inhibitor therapy has not been well described.

Targeted cancer therapies: Oral health care implications

BACKGROUND

Targeted treatments have been incorporated into oncology protocols, often with more traditional therapies, and are not totally free of adverse reactions, some of which affect the orofacial region.

METHODS

The authors searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the US Food and Drug Administration Approved Drug Products database to identify reported adverse effects of targeted agents in the orofacial region as well as other implications in oral health care. Their principal focus was the relatively newer category of molecularly targeted drugs which are called small molecules (SMs).

RESULTS

The authors identified several categories of SMs and biological agents (for example, monoclonal antibodies) with adverse effects in the orofacial region. The oral and perioral regions are also fields for which there are therapeutic applications for targeted therapies, particularly to treat malignant neoplasms such as head and neck cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

SMs are the most rapidly growing group of targeted cancer treatments. Patients receiving SMs and other targeted antineoplastic agents may require oral medicine advice and special-care dentistry.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

In this narrative review, the authors focus mainly on the orofacial adverse effects of targeted cancer therapies and outline many of the agents that are in use so the dentally focused reader can familiarize themselves with these adverse effects and agents.

A technical appraisal of guidelines for the management of skin rash in patients on chemotherapy and targeted therapy

BACKGROUND

Skin rash remains one of the most prevalent and troublesome clinical problems experienced by patients on chemotherapy and targeted therapy. To ensure high-quality care, guidelines are seen as the best guidance. Considering the quality of guidelines varies greatly, a systematical appraisal of the methodological quality of guidelines for the management of skin rash in patients on chemotherapeutic drugs and targeted anticancer therapies was undertaken, in order to identify appropriate ones for healthcare professionals.

METHODS

A systematic search of databases and Internet was conducted to obtain pertinent guidelines. Two reviewers independently assessed the eligibility of guidelines according to the inclusion criteria. Then the guidelines included were appraised by three researchers with the methodological quality of eligible guideline using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREEII).

RESULTS

Totally nineteen guidelines met the inclusion criteria. The quality ranged from good to acceptable in scope and purpose (mean: 78.80%, range: 66.67-94.44%) and clarity of presentation domains (mean: 85.38%, 75.00-91.67%), but not in stakeholder involvement (mean: 50.15%, range: 36.11-75.00%), rigor of development (mean: 23.65%, range: 6.25-70.83%), applicability (mean: 23.96%, range: 4.17-52.08%), and editorial independence domains (mean: 45.18%, range: 0.00-87.50%). Overall, two guidelines were classified as "recommended".

CONCLUSIONS

Only two guidelines were recommended to manage skin rash in patients on chemotherapy and targeted therapies, most guidelines issued were of low to moderate quality. Thus, more attention should be paid to the methodological quality of guideline development in this field.

Mucosal Injury during Anti-Cancer Treatment: From Pathobiology to Bedside

Mucositis is one of the most common debilitating side effects related to chemotherapy (CT), radiation therapy (RT), targeted agents and immunotherapy. It is a complex process potentially involving any portion of the gastrointestinal tract and injuring the mucosa, leading to inflammatory or ulcerative lesions. Mechanisms and clinical presentation can differ according both to the anatomic site involved (oral or gastrointestinal) and the treatment received. Understanding the pathophysiology and management of mucosal injury as a secondary effect of anti-cancer treatment is an important area of clinical research. Prophylaxis, early diagnosis, and adequate management of complications are essential to increase therapeutic success and, thus, improve the survival outcomes of cancer patients. This review focuses on the pathobiology and management guidelines for mucositis, a secondary effect of old and new anti-cancer treatments, highlighting recent advances in prevention and discussing future research options.

Light-enhanced VEGF121/rGel: A tumor targeted modality with vascular and immune-mediated efficacy

Interactions between stromal cells and tumor cells pay a major role in cancer growth and progression. This is reflected in the composition of anticancer drugs which includes compounds directed towards the immune system and tumor-vasculature in addition to drugs aimed at the cancer cells themselves. Drug-based treatment regimens are currently designed to include compounds targeting the tumor stroma in addition to the cancer cells. Treatment limiting adverse effects remains, however, one of the major challenges for drug-based therapy and novel tolerable treatment modalities with diverse high efficacy on both tumor cells and stroma is therefore of high interest. It was hypothesized that the vascular targeted fusion toxin VEGF₁₂₁/rGel in combination with the intracellular drug delivery technology photochemical internalization (PCI) stimulate direct cancer parenchymal cell death in addition to inhibition of tumor perfusion, and that an immune mediated response is relevant for treatment outcome. The aim of the present study was therefore to elucidate the anticancer mechanisms of VEGF₁₂₁/rGel-PCI. In contrast to VEGF₁₂₁/rGel monotherapy, VEGF₁₂₁/rGel-PCI was found to mediate its effect through VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, and a targeted treatment effect was shown on two VEGFR1 expressing cancer cell lines. A cancer parenchymal treatment effect was further indicated on H&E stains of CT26-CL25 and 4 T1 tumors. VEGF₁₂₁/rGel-PCI was shown, by dynamic contrast enhanced MRI, to induce a sustained inhibition of tumor perfusion in both tumor models. A 50% complete remission (CR) of CT26.CL25 colon carcinoma allografts was found in immunocompetent mice while no CR was detected in CT26.CL25 bearing athymic mice. In conclusion, the present report indicate VEGF₁₂₁/rGel -PCI as a treatment modality with multimodal tumor targeted efficacy that should be further developed towards clinical utilization.

Practical management of adverse events associated with cabozantinib treatment in patients with renal-cell carcinoma

Cabozantinib is an oral tyrosine-kinase inhibitor whose targets include VEGFR, MET, and AXL. Cabozantinib is approved for the treatment of patients with advanced clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior antiangiogenic therapy. In the pivotal Phase III trial of second-line RCC, cabozantinib was associated with a significant improvement in overall survival, progression-free survival, and antitumor response compared with everolimus. Adverse events (AEs) were common for patients receiving cabozantinib, but were effectively managed with supportive care and dose modifications, as discontinuations of cabozantinib due to an AE were infrequent. This article reviews the management of the more common AEs associated with cabozantinib based on findings from the pivotal study, clinical practice guidelines, and the authors' real-world clinical experience, with support from published literature. We focus on hypertension, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, fatigue, and stomatitis. Effective management of these AEs involves a multimodal strategy that includes patient education, prophylactic and supportive care, and dose modifications. Effective AE management can allow patients to maintain antitumor activity with cabozantinib while mitigating the impact on quality of life.

The repurposed anthelmintic mebendazole in combination with trametinib suppresses refractory NRASQ61K melanoma

Structure-based drug repositioning in addition to random chemical screening is now a viable route to rapid drug development. Proteochemometric computational methods coupled with kinase assays showed that mebendazole (MBZ) binds and inhibits kinases important in cancer, especially both BRAF^WT and BRAF^V600E. We find that MBZ synergizes with the MEK inhibitor trametinib to inhibit growth of BRAF^WT-NRAS^Q61K melanoma cells in culture and in xenografts, and markedly decreased MEK and ERK phosphorylation. Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) and immunoblot analyses show that both trametinib and MBZ inhibit the MAPK pathway, and cluster analysis revealed a protein cluster showing strong MBZ+trametinib - inhibited phosphorylation of MEK and ERK within 10 minutes, and its direct and indirect downstream targets related to stress response and translation, including ElK1 and RSKs within 30 minutes. Downstream ERK targets for cell cycle, including cMYC, were down-regulated, consistent with S- phase suppression by MBZ+trametinib, while apoptosis markers, including cleaved caspase-3, cleaved PARP and a sub-G1 population, were all increased with time. These data suggest that MBZ, a well-tolerated off-patent approved drug, should be considered as a therapeutic option in combination with trametinib, for patients with NRAS^Q61mut or other non-V600E BRAF mutant melanomas.

Real-world chart review study of adverse events management in patients taking tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat metastatic renal cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

The purpose is to describe management of adverse events of special interest across tyrosine kinase inhibitors approved for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective chart review in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients initiating tyrosine kinase inhibitor monotherapy between 15 November 2010 and 15 November 2013, and experiencing ≥ 1 adverse events of special interest (diarrhea, fatigue, hand-foot syndrome, hypertension, or stomatitis/mucositis) within 3 months of initiation. Demographics, medical history, treatment regimens, and adverse events of special interest management data for 3.5 months postonset were collected.

RESULTS

In 220 charts from 27 centers, tyrosine kinase inhibitors prescribed included sunitinib (55%), pazopanib (27%), axitinib (9%), and sorafenib (8%). During the study period, patients experienced 376 adverse events of special interest (13% serious). Fatigue was most common (62% of patients), followed by hypertension (37%), diarrhea (30%), stomatitis/mucositis (29%), and hand-foot syndrome (12%). Over half (56%) the adverse events of special interest were resolved or resolving. Treatment discontinuation due to adverse events of special interest occurred in 15% of patients. Prophylaxis was rarely provided (8%), whereas 59% of patients received adverse events of special interest treatment (pharmacologic (55%) and/or nonpharmacologic (7%)), 27% received tyrosine kinase inhibitor dose management, 23% received both adverse events of special interest treatment and dose management, and 31% received neither. Hypertension was the most treated (72% of all events), and fatigue was the least treated (9%); only 4% of patients received pharmacologic treatment for fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

Most adverse events of special interest were nonserious and more than half of the patients received pharmacologic and/or nonpharmacologic treatment. Fatigue was the most common yet least frequently treated adverse event of special interest, and few patients received prophylaxis or nonpharmacologic treatment. More emphasis on treatment and prophylaxis options for bothersome adverse events is warranted.

Oral mucosal changes induced by anticancer targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors

Development of biological targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors has redefined the treatment for many cancers; however, the increasing use of new protocols has led to physicians observing a new spectrum of toxicities. To date, oral adverse events induced by these new anticancer therapies have been mainly reported using nonspecific terminology ("stomatitis," "mucosal inflammation," "mucositis") and remain poorly characterized, with the exception of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor-associated stomatitis. Oral toxicities of targeted therapies often display very characteristic features which clearly differ from classic oral injuries observed with cytotoxic chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. In addition, they frequently affect more than 20% of treated patients and can lead to a significant morbidity or permanent treatment discontinuation. Oral mucosal toxicities described in this review include mTOR inhibitor-associated stomatitis (mIAS); stomatitis, benign migratory glossitis, and osteonecrosis of the jaw associated with multi-targeted kinase inhibitors of the VEGF and PDGF receptors; mucositis induced by EGFR inhibitors (in monotherapy or in combination with head and neck radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy); hyperkeratotic lesions with BRAF inhibitors; pigmentary changes and lichenoid reactions secondary to imatinib; and more recent data on the "Osler-Weber-Rendu-like syndrome" described with the antibody-drug conjugate, TDM-1. Finally, we provide, to our knowledge, the first available structured data on oral toxicities induced by the new recently FDA- and EMA-approved monoclonal antibodies targeting PD-1. Clinical management of these targeted therapy-related oral changes is also discussed.

ENETS Consensus Guidelines for the Standards of Care in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Systemic Therapy - Biotherapy and Novel Targeted Agents

Systemic therapies established in the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) include somatostatin analogs and interferon-α, also referred to as biotherapy. Recent randomized controlled studies have extended the knowledge on the frequency of side effects associated with biotherapy. More recently, novel targeted drugs, such as the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus and the multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib, have been introduced in the management of NETs. Although targeted drugs are generally well tolerated, with most adverse events being of mild to moderate severity and manageable, novel targeted drugs exhibit a distinct adverse event profile that warrants guidance for appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic management. This is particularly important given the widespread and potentially long-term use of everolimus in a broad spectrum of NETs and of sunitinib in pancreatic NETs. This review will focus on the most relevant toxicities associated with biotherapy and novel targeted drugs and on their management. For each drug class indication, administration and dosing schedule, most frequent adverse events, actions and dose adjustments for adverse events as well as their monitoring are presented. This review further covers the evaluation of treatment effect, patient information, drug interactions, and information on pregnancy.

Sunitinib toxicity management - a practical approach

This article summarizes the adverse events (AEs) of sunitinib that are commonly encountered in a community oncology practice, and provides practical recommendations for their management based on the available literature and on the author's own experience.

Sunitinib side effects as surrogate biomarkers of efficacy

With the proliferation of treatment options for the management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) over the past decade, predictive markers of response to therapy are becoming increasingly important. Sunitinib is commonly used in the first-line treatment of mRCC. Common mechanism-based adverse events, including hypertension, hypothyroidism, hand-foot syndrome, and neutropenia, have been explored as potential biomarkers of the clinical efficacy of sunitinib in mRCC and are reviewed in this article.

Dual modulation of MCL-1 and mTOR determines the response to sunitinib

Most patients who initially respond to treatment with the multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib eventually relapse. Therefore, developing a deeper understanding of the contribution of sunitinib's numerous targets to the clinical response or to resistance is crucial. Here, we have shown that cancer cells respond to clinically relevant doses of sunitinib by enhancing the stability of the antiapoptotic protein MCL-1 and inducing mTORC1 signaling, thus evoking little cytotoxicity. Inhibition of MCL-1 or mTORC1 signaling sensitized cells to clinically relevant doses of sunitinib in vitro and was synergistic with sunitinib in impairing tumor growth in vivo, indicating that these responses are triggered as prosurvival mechanisms that enable cells to tolerate the cytotoxic effects of sunitinib. Furthermore, higher doses of sunitinib were cytotoxic, triggered a decline in MCL-1 levels, and inhibited mTORC1 signaling. Mechanistically, we determined that sunitinib modulates MCL-1 stability by affecting its proteasomal degradation. Dual modulation of MCL-1 stability at different dose ranges of sunitinib was due to differential effects on ERK and GSK3β activity, and the latter also accounted for dual modulation of mTORC1 activity. Finally, comparison of patient samples prior to and following sunitinib treatment suggested that increases in MCL-1 levels and mTORC1 activity correlate with resistance to sunitinib in patients.

Safety of available treatment options for renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

For many years, cytokines (high-dose interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)) have been the unique available treatment options for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and they provided durable but modest responses at the cost of significant toxicities. To date, targeted therapies have replaced cytokine therapy due to higher response rates and more favorable toxicity profiles. The major classes of targeted therapy for mRCC include tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial grow factors and inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin. Thanks to these new strategies, the prognosis for the mRCC is shifting toward a chronic disease and the new challenges are the adequate treatment of adverse events (AEs) and the care for quality of life, which is crucial. Emerging immunotherapies targeting the programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor and the programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) ligand have shown promising results in both efficacy and safety profiles.

AREAS COVERED

Safety data published on available treatment options for renal cell carcinoma RCC are reviewed.

EXPERT OPINION

Various toxicities are associated with targeted agents; these toxicities are generally well tolerated but careful monitoring and appropriate management are needed to optimize the use of these strategies.

[Side effect management of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in urology : Gastrointestinal side effects]

For approximately one decade, tyrosinkinase inhibitors (TKIs, smart drugs) have dramatically changed and improved the treatment of patients suffering from metastasized renal cell carcinoma. However, the different drugs have substantial side effects. Especially gastrointestinal symptoms may be problematic for patients. These side effects represent a challenge for the physician. On the one hand, dosage modifications and treatment interruption should be avoided to minimize the risk for progression. On the other hand, only mild side effects are tolerable for the patient. Based on a literature review, a clear overview of the incidence of possible side effects for the drugs axitinib, cabozantinib, pazopanib, sorafenib, and sunitinib is provided. Furthermore, we give a practical guide on how to prevent and treat the different gastrointestinal side effects. Finally, it is pointed out when dosage modifications or interruption of treatment are necessary and how to expeditiously re-escalate the treatment after mitigation of side effects.

[Side effect management of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in urology : Fatigue and hypothyroidism]

Not only has the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinomas (mRCC) changed the therapeutic options for this disease significantly, but with the occurrence of typical side effects this therapy also poses a challenge for the treating physician. Fatigue und hypothyroidism are two common side effects of TKI therapy that can often appear simultaneously. By reducing the patients' quality of life these side effects often lead to a discontinuation of therapy. With this review we want to give the treating physician an overview of the classification and the specific treatment of TKI-induced fatigue and hypothyroidism in order to maximize patients' compliance and the therapeutic efficacy of TKI therapy.

Analysis of adverse events of sunitinib in patients treated for advanced renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Treatment of the metastatic stage of renal cell carcinoma is specific because classical chemotherapy is not applicable here. The treatment is mainly based on molecularly targeted drugs, including inhibitors of tyrosine kinases. In many cases the therapy takes many months, and patients often report to general practitioners due to adverse events. In this article, the effectiveness and side effects of one of these drugs are presented. The aim of the study was to analyse of the toxicity and safety of treatment with sunitinib malate in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma in the metastatic stage.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Adverse events were analyzed using retrospective analysis of data collected in a group of 39 patients treated in the Department of Systemic and Generalized Malignancies in the Cancer Center in Krakow, Poland.

RESULTS

Toxicity of treatment affected 50% of patients. The most common side effects observed were hypertension, thrombocytopenia, stomatitis, diarrhea and weakness. Grade 3 serious adverse events according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4 affected up to 10% of patients. The most common serious adverse events were hypertension and fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

Sunitinib malate is characterized by a particular type of toxicity. Knowledge of the types and range of adverse events of this drug is an important part of oncological and internal medicine care.

Cyclooxygenase-2 blockade can improve efficacy of VEGF-targeting drugs

Anti-angiogenic therapies were approved for different cancers. However, significant primary and secondary resistance hampers efficacy in several tumor types including breast cancer. Thus, we need to develop clinically applicable strategies to enhance efficacy of anti-angiogenic drugs.

We report that anti-angiogenic therapies can induce upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and of its product prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂) in breast cancer models. Upon Cox-2 inhibition PGE₂ levels were normalized and efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (anti-VEGFR-2) antibodies and sunitinib was enhanced. Interestingly, both treatments exerted additive anti-angiogenic effects. Following Cox-2 inhibition, we observed reduced infiltration of tumors with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and lower levels of pro-angiogenic factors active besides the VEGF axis including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2). Mechanistic studies indicated that Cox-2 inhibition reduced PGE₂-induced migration and proliferation of CAFs via inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt.

Hence, Cox-2 inhibition can increase efficacy of anti-angiogenic treatments and our findings might pave the road for clinical investigations of concomitant blockade of Cox-2 and VEGF-signaling.

Oral adverse events in cancer patients treated with VEGFR-directed multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors

OBJECTIVES

This study characterized the incidence and clinical features of oral adverse events among cancer patients who received VEGFR-directed multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VR-TKI) therapies.

METHODS

Electronic medical records of adult cancer patients treated with sunitinib, sorafenib, regorafenib, pazopanib, cabozantinib, imatinib, and bevacizumab therapy at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute from 2009 to 2012 were reviewed. Data collected included patient characteristics, oral and non-oral adverse events, and time to onset. Time oral adverse event-free was the primary outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 747 patients with 806 individual courses of therapy were treated for a median of 3.9months with sunitinib (n=161), sorafenib (n=172), regorafenib (n=15), pazopanib (n=132), cabozantinib (n=23), imatinib (n=144), or bevacizumab (n=159) for lung cancer (21%), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (15%), and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (13%). An oral adverse event was reported in 23.7% of patients at a median of 1.9months after starting therapy. The most commonly reported oral adverse event was oral mucosal sensitivity (dysesthesia), occurring in 12% of patients, typically without clinical findings. Multivariate models showed patients who received VR-TKI therapy were at greater risk of any oral adverse event compared with patients treated with imatinib or bevacizumab. Patients receiving VR-TKI therapy who developed an oral adverse event were also at increased risk for hand-foot skin reaction (15.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

VR-TKI associated oral adverse events are characterized primarily by dysesthesia with lack of clinical signs. Oral dysesthesia is more commonly associated with VR-TKIs than with bevacizumab or imatinib. Management is largely empirical and requires further investigation.

Development of chronic myeloid leukaemia in patients treated with anti-VEGF therapies for clear cell renal cell cancer

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are novel therapies targeting specific cellular signalling pathways. Sunitinib and sorafenib primarily block tyrosine kinase receptors involved in the progression of many tumours, including clear cell renal cell cancer (ccRCC). Although developed to target selected receptors, it is becoming apparent that they inhibit other kinases; this may result in the development of unexpected side effects. This is potentially dangerous as kinases on noncancerous cells are also inhibited. TKI off-target effects contributing to cardiotoxicity, hypothyroidism, hypertension, fatigue, hair depigmentation, hand-foot syndrome and gastrointestinal perforation have been described. We report three patients (3/412) treated with sunitinib and sorafenib who developed chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) during treatment for ccRCC, proposing a molecular mechanism of tyrosine kinase inhibitors action on bone marrow cells that might be co-responsible for CML development.

Overview and management of toxicities associated with systemic therapies for advanced renal cell carcinoma

The advent of novel targeted agents for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has offered clinical benefits over traditional immunotherapy (e.g., interleukin-2 and interferon-α) in both efficacy and safety profiles. The major classes of these targeted therapies for metastatic RCC include the tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor, and inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin. Most recently, the success of immune checkpoint inhibitors--notably antibodies directed against programmed death-1 and its ligand--has also been demonstrated in RCC. With such progress in therapy, early detection, and subsequent management of treatment-related adverse events allow for patients to remain on active therapy for as long as possible and also enhance the probability of patients tolerating subsequent second line options. However, despite such impressive gains in efficacy with these new agents, therapeutic progress are primarily palliative in nature--hence, the critical importance of minimizing discomfort and potential harm in this patient population cannot be understated.

Multidisciplinary management of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma in Africa and the Middle East: current practice and recommendations for improvement

The management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has evolved considerably in recent years. This report represents the consensus of 22 relevant medical specialists from Africa and the Middle East region engaged in the management of RCC. Partial or radical nephrectomy is the standard of care for most patients with localized RCC. It is essential that patients are followed up appropriately after surgery to enable local and distant relapses to be identified and treated promptly. The treatment of advanced/metastatic disease has changed dramatically with the introduction of targeted therapies. Follow-up of these patients enables therapy optimization and assessment of response to treatment. There was universal agreement on the importance of management of RCC by a multidisciplinary team supported by a multidisciplinary tumor board. Barriers hindering this approach were identified. These included lack of awareness of the benefits of multidisciplinary team role, poor communication among relevant disciplines, time constraints, and specifics of private practice. Other challenges include shortage of expert specialists as urologists and oncologists and lack of local management guidelines in some countries. Solutions were proposed and discussed. Medical educational initiatives and awareness activities were highlighted as keys to encouraging cooperation between specialties to improve patients’ outcome. Establishing combined genitourinary cancer clinics and formal referral systems should encourage a culture of effective communication. Joining forces with professionals in peripheral areas and the private sector is likely to help standardize care. Sustained action will be required to ensure that all patients with RCC in the region benefit from up-to-date care.

Survival with AGS-003, an autologous dendritic cell-based immunotherapy, in combination with sunitinib in unfavorable risk patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC): Phase 2 study results

BACKGROUND

AGS-003 is an autologous immunotherapy prepared from fully matured and optimized monocyte-derived dendritic cells, which are co-electroporated with amplified tumor RNA plus synthetic CD40L RNA. AGS-003 was evaluated in combination with sunitinib in an open label phase 2 study in intermediate and poor risk, treatment naïve patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

METHODS

Twenty-one intermediate and poor risk patients were treated continuously with sunitinib (4 weeks on, 2 weeks off per 6 week cycle). After completion of the first cycle of sunitinib, patients were treated with AGS-003 every 3 weeks for 5 doses, then every 12 weeks until progression or end of study. The primary endpoint was to determine the complete response rate. Secondary endpoints included clinical benefit, safety, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Immunologic response was also monitored.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients (62%) experienced clinical benefit (9 partial responses, 4 with stable disease); however there were no complete responses in this group of intermediate and poor risk mRCC patients and enrollment was terminated early. Median PFS from registration was 11.2 months (95% CI 6.0, 19.4) and the median OS from registration was 30.2 months (95% CI 9.4, 57.1) for all patients. Seven (33%) patients survived for at least 4.5 years, while five (24%) survived for more than 5 years, including 2 patients who remain progression-free with durable responses for more than 5 years at the time of this report. AGS-003 was well tolerated with only mild injection-site reactions. The most common adverse events were related to expected toxicity from sunitinib therapy. In patients who had sequential samples available for immune monitoring, the magnitude of the increase in the absolute number of CD8(+) CD28(+) CD45RA(-) effector/memory T cells (CTLs) after 5 doses of AGS-003 relative to baseline, correlated with overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

AGS-003 in combination with sunitinib was well tolerated and yielded supportive immunologic responses coupled with extension of median and long-term survival in an unselected, intermediate and poor risk prognosis mRCC population.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY

#NCT00678119.

Current management of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor receiving the multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a form of soft tissue sarcoma, is often detected incidentally or at an advanced stage. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib malate (Sutent * ) is established as second-line treatment for the management of GIST after disease progression on, or intolerance to, first-line imatinib treatment. Several published reviews give guidance on management of side effects in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with sunitinib, but fewer publications cover side-effect management in patients with GIST.

SCOPE

Using published articles and abstracts, prescribing information, and personal experience in managing patients with GIST at a specialized center of excellence for cancer care, I review side-effect management recommendations for patients with GIST treated with sunitinib and provide an overview of GIST.

FINDINGS

Sunitinib has a well described side-effect profile: most side effects occurring in patients with GIST can be easily managed by standard medical intervention and/or dose modification.

CONCLUSION

Care of patients with GIST can be enhanced through communication, support, knowledge, and education, with the goal of providing effective therapy and optimal symptom control.

Role of the lean body mass and of pharmacogenetic variants on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sunitinib in cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Sunitinib is a multikinase inhibitor active in various cancers types including renal cancers and endocrine tumors. The study analyzed the influence of the lean body mass (LBM) and of pharmacogenetic variants on the exposure to sunitinib and its active metabolite, SU12662, and on sunitinib toxicity and clinical activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Exposure to sunitinib and SU12662 was assessed on days 10 and 21 during the first treatment cycle. Acute toxicity was graded using the NCI 4.0 CTCAE ver. 4.0. The LBM and 14 common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CYP3A4/3A5, NR1I2, NR1I3, ABCB1, and ABCG2 genes were analyzed according to the drug exposure at day 10. Determinants (including sunitinib exposure and pharmacogenetic variants) for toxicities were assessed, as well as the relationship between drug exposure and survival in renal cancer patients.

RESULTS

Ninety-two patients (60 % with renal cancer) were assessable for pharmacokinetics, toxicity and survival, and 66 for genetic analysis. The LBM (p < 0.0001) and a polymorphism in the ABCG2 transporter (421C>A) (p = 0.014) were two independent parameters accounting for the variability of composite (sunitinib + SU12662) exposure. Advanced age (OR = 1.47 [1.01-2.15], p = 0.048) and high sunitinib exposure (OR = 1.16 [1.05-1.28], p = 0.005) were independently associated with any grade ≥ 3 acute toxicity, and high SU12662 exposure was associated with grade ≥ 2 thrombocytopenia (OR = 1.27 [1.03-1.57], p = 0.028). A high composite area under the curve (AUC) >1,973 ng/mL∙h at day 21 was associated with a doubled survival (35.2 vs 16.7 months; log-rank p = 0.0051) in renal cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that LBM and drug monitoring may be helpful in the management of sunitinib-treated patients.

[Dysthyroidism with anti-VEGF treatment, a class effect? about one case report]

Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors are recent therapy used in different neoplastic diseases. Dysthyroidism seems to be a class effect of these drugs with a potentially cross cumulative effect. We describe here the case of a man who first developed dysthyroidism with sunitinib, then a deep and permanent hypothyroidism when axitinib was introduced.

Adverse drug events in the oral cavity

Adverse reactions to medications are common and may have a variety of clinical presentations in the oral cavity. Targeted therapies and the new biologic agents have revolutionized the treatment of cancers, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory and rheumatologic diseases but have also been associated with adverse events in the oral cavity. Some examples include osteonecrosis, seen with not only bisphosphonates but also antiangiogenic agents, and the distinctive ulcers caused by mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors. As newer therapeutic agents are approved, it is likely that more adverse drug events will be encountered. This review describes the most common clinical presentations of oral mucosal reactions to medications, namely, xerostomia, lichenoid reactions, ulcers, bullous disorders, pigmentation, fibrovascular hyperplasia, white lesions, dysesthesia, osteonecrosis, infection, angioedema, and malignancy. Oral health care providers should be familiar with such events, as they will encounter them in their practice.

Practical management of sunitinib toxicities in the treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are infrequent malignancies which manifest in both functional (hormone-secreting) and more commonly non-functional (non-secreting) forms. The oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor everolimus are approved as targeted therapies for patients with well-differentiated, non-resectable disease and evidence of disease progression. The recent approval of sunitinib for the management of advanced pNET is based on a continuous daily dosing (CDD) schedule that differs from the intermittent 4weeks on/2weeks off (4/2) schedule approved for sunitinib in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Therefore, although clinicians may be familiar with therapy management approaches for sunitinib in advanced RCC and GIST, there is less available experience for the management of patients with a CDD schedule. Here, we discuss the similarities and differences in the treatment of pNET with sunitinib compared with advanced RCC and GIST. In particular, we focus on the occurrence and management of sunitinib-related toxicity in patients with pNET by drawing on experience in these other malignancies. We aim to provide a relevant and useful guide for clinicians treating patients with pNET covering the management of events such as fatigue, mucositis, hand-foot syndrome, and hypertension.

[Hand-foot syndrome with tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy: treatment recommendations]

A significant component of advanced renal cell carcinoma therapy is treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Hand-foot syndrome is a frequent adverse reaction and the quality of life of patients can be considerably affected depending on the severity. Effective treatment options are, therefore, essential and standardization of treatment recommendations is desirable. In this article practical and standardized recommendations for the treatment of outpatients with hand-foot syndrome are introduced and several strategies for prophylaxis and therapy are discussed.

Design of the INPULSIS™ trials: two phase 3 trials of nintedanib in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Nintedanib is in clinical development as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Data from the Phase II TOMORROW study suggested that nintedanib 150 mg twice daily had clinical benefits with an acceptable safety profile.

METHODS

The INPULSIS™ trials are replicate Phase III, randomized, double-blind, studies comparing the efficacy and safety of nintedanib 150 mg twice daily with placebo in patients with IPF. Eligible patients were aged ≥40 years with a diagnosis of IPF within 5 years before randomization who had undergone a chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan within 1-year before screening, and who had a forced vital capacity (FVC) of ≥50% predicted and a diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide of 30-79% predicted. Participants were randomized 3:2 to receive nintedanib or placebo for 52 weeks. The primary endpoint is the annual rate of decline in FVC. The key secondary endpoints are change from baseline in the total score on the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (a measure of health-related quality of life) over 52 weeks and time to first acute exacerbation.

RESULTS

Enrolment of 1066 patients in 24 countries was completed in September 2012. Results will be reported in the first half of 2014.

CONCLUSION

The INPULSIS™ trials will determine the efficacy of nintedanib in patients with IPF, including its impact on disease progression as defined by decline in FVC, acute exacerbations and health-related quality of life. In addition, they will characterise the adverse event profile of nintedanib in this patient population.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifiers: NCT01335464 and NCT01335477).