Sunitinib is cost effective as a first-line therapy for patients with metastatic renal cel

The economic model, which was analysed in the context of three healthcare systems - Sweden1, Spain2 and the US3 - predicts better outcomes with sunitinib, in terms of life years, progression-free life years and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), compared with bevacizumab + interferon-alpha (IFN-a), sorafenib and temsirolimus. In addition, sunitinib was found to be cost saving when compared with bevacizumab + IFN-a and temsirolimus.

Quality of life data also highlight that treatment with sunitinib is consistently associated with better health-related quality of life compared with IFN-a treatment in patients with mRCC. This is supported by findings reported across the EU, from the USA, Brazil, Russia, Australia and Canada (p<0.05).[4]

Dr Ulrika Harmenberg, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, commented: “These new data provide additional evidence for the benefits of sunitinib in patients with this rare and difficult-to-treat cancer. Added to the results from a landmark study presented at ASCO earlier this year, that demonstrate that sunitinib extends overall survival beyond two years, this research supports the role of sunitinib as the reference standard of care in mRCC, and predicts its cost effectiveness versus other treatments.”

Around 63,000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer in Europe each year, which accounts for three per cent of all cancer cases.[5] Until recently treatment options were limited, but with the availability of sunitinib there is now an important advance in the management of this condition, with the demonstration of an overall survival of more than two years (objective response rate (ORR) of 47% (95% CI: 42.52) for sunitinib versus 12% (95% CI: 9.16) for INF-a (p< 0.000001).[6]

Sunitinib, an oral therapy, was approved in Europe as a first line treatment for mRCC in January 2007. It is a novel addition to a new class of “multi-targeted” anti-cancer drugs. It targets the tumour with a dual action strategy, by stopping the cancer cells from multiplying and cutting off the tumour's blood supply.

Sunitinib, which is also indicated for the treatment of unresectable and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) after failure of imatinib mesylate, is being investigated for a number of other tumour types including breast and colorectal cancers.

References

[1] U Munir, A Benedict, B Borgman, R Sandin, A Ullén, U Harmenberg, P Sandström: Cost effectiveness and cost utility analysis of sunitinib (SU) vs sorafenib (SFN) and bevacizumab plus interferon-alfa (BEV/IFN) as first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) - adaptation for the Swedish Health Service / Abstract 1146S ESMO 2008

[2] S. Diaz, E Calvo Aller, P Maroto, J Puente, M López-Brea, D Castellano: Cost effectiveness and cost utility analysis of sunitinib (SU) vs sorafenib (SFN) and bevacizumab plus interferon-alfa (BEV/IFN) as first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in Spain / Abstract: 931 ESMO 2008

[3] Ágnes Benedict, Claudie Charbonneau, Sindy T. Kim, Sylvie Négrier: Cost effectiveness of sunitinib (SU), sorafenib (SFN), temsirolimus (TMS), and bevacizumab plus interferon -alfa (BEV/IFN) as first-line therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) - an indirect comparison / Abstract: 1034 ESMO 2008

[4] Cella D et al. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients receiving sunitinib (SU) or interferon (IFN)-alfa in a randomized phase III trial: udated geographic analysis. Abstract 651 ESMO 2008

[5] UK kidney cancer incidence statistics. http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/kidney/incidence/#source8.

[6] Figlin RA, Hutson TE, Tomczak R, et al. Overall survival with sunitinib verus interferon (IFN)-alfa as first-line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). J Clin Oncol 2008;26(No 15S):abstr 5024

[7] Sutent Summary of Product Characteristics. Pfizer Ltd