A recently published study on pazopanib, sunitinib, and sorafenib reported an increase in “fatal adverse events”, death.
In all, 4,679 patients from 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, with 2,856 from sorafenib, 1,388 from sunitinib, and 435 from pazopanib trials. The incidence of FAEs related to VEGFR TKIs (Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors) was 1.5% (95% CI, 0.8% to 2.4%) with an RR of 2.23 (95% CI, 1.12 to 4.44; P ? .023)
compared with control patients. On subgroup analysis, no difference in the rate of FAEs was found between different VEGFR TKIs or tumor types. No evidence of publication bias was observed.
The risk of dying while on these drugs was over twice that of those treated with a placebo.
Medicynic: These are marginally active drugs, improving outcomes by a few months. Whatever benefit they have is partially compromised by these excess deaths.
Avastin (bevacizumab) works on vascular endothelial growth factor in a different way. But it too has toxicity and may also have a small excess mortality.
Sobering study. No treatment, even expensive targeted treatments with “fewer side-effects,” are without problems.
Medicynic 