Sunitinib dosing schedule 2/1 improves tolerability, efficacy, and health-related quality of life in Chinese patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
PURPOSE
To assess the efficacy and tolerability of sunitinib dosing schedule of 2 weeks on and 1 week off (schedule 2/1) vs. the traditional schedule of 4 weeks on and 2 week off (schedule 4/2) and its influence on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Chinese patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).


MATERIALS AND METHODS
A retrospective analysis of 108 patients with mRCC who were treated with sunitinib regimens (50mg daily) between January 2009 and July 2013 was undertaken. Overall, 3 groups of patients were studied according to the dosing schedule they received: schedule 4/2 (n = 50), transitional schedule 2/1 (T2/1; patients switched from schedule 4/2 to 2/1; n = 26), and initial schedule 2/1 (I2/1; n = 32). The tumor response, progression-free survival (PFS) time, adverse events, and HRQoL were assessed and compared among the groups.


RESULTS
The incidences of diarrhea, fatigue, hand-foot syndrome, and neutropenia induced by the treatment of sunitinib were all significantly less common with schedule I2/1 and T2/1 than with schedule 4/2 (P<0.05). Although there was no statistically significant difference in the tumor response among the 3 groups, the median PFS time was significantly longer with schedule I2/1 than with schedules T2/1 and 4/2 (11.2 vs. 9.4 and 9.5mo, respectively, P = 0.030), and HRQoL (as determined by 19-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Kidney Symptom Index scores) was better.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with sunitinib 50mg daily using a 2/1 dosing schedule can provide better tolerability and a longer PFS with better HRQoL in Chinese patients with mRCC than the traditional schedule 4/2.
['Pan|Xiuwu|X|', 'Huang|Hai|H|', 'Huang|Yi|Y|', 'Liu|Bing|B|', 'Cui|Xingang|X|', 'Gan|Sishun|S|', 'Ye|Jianqing|J|', 'Xu|Danfeng|D|', 'Chen|Lu|L|', 'Zhou|Qiwei|Q|', 'Li|Lin|L|', 'Hong|Yi|Y|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D044466:Asians D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell D004334:Drug Administration Schedule D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007211:Indoles D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis D011758:Pyrroles D011788:Quality of Life D000077210:Sunitinib D016896:Treatment Outcome
Sunitinib Dosing schedules Metastatic renal cell carcinoma Tumor response Adverse events Quality-of-life