Incidence of brain metastases in renal cell carcinoma treated with sorafenib.
BACKGROUND
This retrospective study evaluated the incidence of brain metastases in a subgroup of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who were randomly assigned to receive sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor (400 mg b.i.d.), versus placebo in the phase III Treatment Approaches in Renal Cancer Global Evaluation Trial (TARGET).


METHODS
Patients enrolled in TARGET at two centres (Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, n = 85; Central Clinical Hospital of Military Medical Academy, Warsaw, Poland, n = 54) made up the current subgroup, who were retrospectively evaluated for the incidence of brain metastases during follow-up. The association between treatment (sorafenib versus placebo) and occurrence of brain metastases was evaluated by univariate analysis.


RESULTS
The overall incidence of brain metastases in patients receiving sorafenib was 3% (2 of 70 patients) compared with 12% (8 of 69 patients) in patients receiving placebo (P < 0.05). The incidence of brain metastases was also significantly lower in the sorafenib group after 1 (P = 0.0447) and 2 years (P = 0.005) of treatment compared with the placebo group.


CONCLUSIONS
In this subpopulation, sorafenib may reduce the occurrence of brain metastases. Antiangiogenic therapy, such as sorafenib, could be an effective preventive therapy for brain metastases in advanced RCC.
Massard
C
C
Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
Zonierek
J
J
Gross-Goupil
M
M
Fizazi
K
K
Szczylik
C
C
Escudier
B
B
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000556:secondary; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077157:Sorafenib; D015996:Survival Rate
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011725:Pyridines; D009536:Niacinamide; D000077157:Sorafenib