MONDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. Food and Drug
Administration approval of Sutent (sunitinib) has been expanded to
include people with neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer that is
inoperable or has metastasized to other parts of the body.
Neuroendocrine tumors are slow-growing and affect fewer than
1,000 people each year in the United States, the FDA said in a news
release.
Pfizer's Sutent was previously FDA approved to treat late-stage
kidney cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a rare
cancer of the stomach, bowel or esophagus.
Among people with neuroendocine pancreatic cancer, Sutent in
clinical trials extended average lifespan to 10.2 months, compared
to 5.4 months among people who took a placebo. The most common side
effects included diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, anorexia,
high blood pressure and stomach pain.
Pfizer is based in New York City.
More information
The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has more about
this type of cancer.