Sunitinib for the treatment of thyroid cancer

Introduction: Sunitinib is an oral oxindol derivative and a potent inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor and a multitargeted tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, which has antitumor and antiangiogenic activity due to the selective inhibition that can stabilize progressive metastatic disease. The aim of this review is to expose whether the drug could be considered as a new promising therapy compared with other tyrosine-kinase inhibitors.

Areas covered: In seven open-label studies carried out with sunitinb, the drug showed its anti-tumoral activity in advanced differentiated thyroid carcinoma and in medullary thyroid carcinoma. The reported objectives in advanced differentiated thyroid carcinoma, partial response ranges 13% to 55.5%, stable disease ranges 44.4% to 68%, progressive disease ranges 10% to 21% of patients, progression free survival ranges 3 to 13.3% months. In medullary thyroid carcinoma, PR ranges 0% to 55%, SD ranges 44.4% to 87.5%, PD ranges 7% to 18.8% and progression free survivalranges seven to 21 months.

Expert opinion: Sunitinib has demonstrated a potent anti-tumoral activity in differentiated thyroid carcinoma and in medullary thyroid carcinoma, but the results of the open-label trials single arm are limited. Further investigations with this agent with randomized trials are warranted.