Kidney cancer drug also shrinks tumors
Kidney cancer drug also shrinks tumors
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study has found a drug used to treat advanced kidney cancer can also shrink kidney tumors prior to surgery. Phys- icians at the university's school of medicine found therapy before surgery with the drug sorafenib (Nexavar) can reduce the size of large tumors and can be safely administered with- out adding significantly to the risks of surgery. "We found that primary kidney tumors responded to this therapy, shrinking up to 40 percent prior to surgery," said Dr. Kimryn Rathmell, an assistant professor who led the research. "What this means for kidney cancer patients is that their surgery may be less extensive and, we hope, can provide a better outcome for patients because of tumor shrinkage." Study co- author Dr. Matthew Nielsen, an assistant professor of surgery, added: "This study is a major contribution to the field, demonstrating that Nexavar is well-tolerated for pre- surgery use, with no increase in the rates of complications or difficulties recovering from surgical removal of the kidney. We are optimistic that this and future similar studies will ultimately allow us to offer individualized treatment strategies for patients with this common and dan- gerous disease." The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study has found a drug used to treat advanced kidney cancer can also shrink kidney tumors prior to surgery. Phys- icians at the university's school of medicine found therapy before surgery with the drug sorafenib (Nexavar) can reduce the size of large tumors and can be safely administered with- out adding significantly to the risks of surgery. "We found that primary kidney tumors responded to this therapy, shrinking up to 40 percent prior to surgery," said Dr. Kimryn Rathmell, an assistant professor who led the research. "What this means for kidney cancer patients is that their surgery may be less extensive and, we hope, can provide a better outcome for patients because of tumor shrinkage." Study co- author Dr. Matthew Nielsen, an assistant professor of surgery, added: "This study is a major contribution to the field, demonstrating that Nexavar is well-tolerated for pre- surgery use, with no increase in the rates of complications or difficulties recovering from surgical removal of the kidney. We are optimistic that this and future similar studies will ultimately allow us to offer individualized treatment strategies for patients with this common and dan- gerous disease." The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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