Menu Close Menu

Fewer cancers.
Better survival.
Equity for all.

Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy Regimen Library

GU Renal cell Metastatic - sUNITinib

Treatment Overview

Cycle 1 (and all further cycles) - 21 days

Cycle length:
21

sUNITinib:

  • An alternative dosing schedule is sUNITinib 50 mg ONCE daily for 4 weeks, followed by a 2-week treatment-free period to complete 6-week cycle.
  • Regimen may need to be individualised.

Cycle details

Cycle 1 (and all further cycles) - 21 days

Medication Dose Route Days Max Duration
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration 1 to 14
loperamide 2 mg oral administration 1

sUNITinib:

  • An alternative dosing schedule is sUNITinib 50 mg ONCE daily for 4 weeks, followed by a 2-week treatment-free period to complete 6-week cycle.
  • Regimen may need to be individualised.

Full details

Cycle 1 (and all further cycles) - 21 days

Day: 1

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.
loperamide 2 mg oral administration
Instructions:
Take TWO capsules (=4 mg) at onset of loose bowel motions and a further ONE capsule (=2 mg) for every loose bowel motion (maximum of EIGHT capsules in 24 hours), or use as directed by oncologist or haematologist.

Day: 2

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 3

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 4

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 5

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 6

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 7

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 8

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 9

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 10

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 11

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 12

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 13

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Day: 14

Medication Dose Route Max duration Details
sUNITinib * 50 mg Once daily oral administration
Instructions:
Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may interact with this medicine. Discuss with your pharmacist.

Supportive Care Factors

Factor Value
Diarrhoea risk: Anti-diarrhoeals are usually prescribed with this treatment
Emetogenicity: Minimal to low

Emetogenicity: Antiemetics may be required with continuous dosing of oral anti-cancer medicines with MINIMAL to LOW emetic risk; an individualised approach is appropriate.

References

Lee JL, Kim MK, I. Park et al. "Randomised phase II trial of Sunitinib four weeks on and two weeks off versus Two weeks on and One week off in metastatic clear-cell type renal cell carcimona: RESTORE trial". Annals of Oncology 00:1-6, 2015., PMID: 26347107

Abogunrin, S., A. O. Ashaye, J. C. Cappelleri et al. 2019. "Safety and effectiveness of classical and alternative sunitinib dosing schedules for metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis." Future Oncol 15 (18): 2175-2190., PMID: 31010323

Bose, D., F. Meric-Bernstam, W. Hofstetter, et al. 2010. "Vascular endothelial growth factor targeted therapy in the perioperative setting: implications for patient care." Lancet Oncol 11(4):373-382., PMID: 20171141

Motzer, R.J., T.E. Hutson, P. Tomczak, et al. 2007. "Sunitinib versus interferon alfa in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma." N.Engl.J Med. 356(2):115-124., PMID: 17215529

Escudier, B., Porta, C. & Bono, P. et al. 2014. "Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind, Cross-Over Trial Assessing Treatment Preference for Pazopanib Versus Sunitinib in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: PISCES Study." J Clin Oncol. DOI 10.1200/JCO.2013.50.8267., PMID: 24687826

Motzer, R., Hutson, T. & Cella, D. et al. 2013. "Pazopanib versus sunitinib in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma." N Engl J Med. 369(8);722-31., PMID: 23964934

Motzer, R.J., T.E. Hutson, P. Tomczak, et al. 2009. "Overall Survival and Updated Results for Sunitinib Compared With Interferon Alfa in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma." J Clin Oncol 27(22):3584-3590., PMID: 19487381

Cella, David, Jim Z. Li, Joseph C. Cappelleri, et al. 2008. "Quality of Life in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated With Sunitinib or Interferon Alfa: Results From a Phase III Randomized Trial." J Clin Oncol 26(22):3763-3769., PMID: 18669464

Motzer, R., Hutson, T. & McCann, L. et al. 2014. "Overall survival in renal-cell carcinoma with pazopanib versus sunitinib." N Engl J Med. 370(18);1769-7., PMID: 24785224

Pfizer New Zealand Limited Sunitinib Pfizer New Zealand datasheet 12 August 2021 https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/datasheet/s/sunitinibpfizercap.pdf (accessed 30 September 2022).

* The medicines, doses, combinations, and schedule in this treatment regimen have been carefully reviewed against international best practice guidelines by specialists in medical oncology around New Zealand and this advice has been accepted for publication by Te Aho o Te Kahu (the Cancer Control Agency). Sometimes medicines that are used in routine clinical practice have not been through a formal review process by the NZ Medicines Regulator Medsafe and are therefore considered unapproved or off-label. These medicines are legally able to be prescribed through sections 25 and 29 of the Medicines Act and by obtaining informed consent from patients. All treatment regimens listed on this website have been through robust peer review and are considered an accepted standard of care, whether prescribed through sections 25 or 29 or carrying formal Medsafe Approval.

s29: This symbol indicates that some formulations of the associated medicine are legally only able to be prescribed under section 29 of the Medicines Act. You can see which formulations are section 29 by hovering over the s29 symbol. You can access full medication details from the New Zealand Formulary by clicking on the medication name. Each clinician retains full responsibility for ensuring they have complied with all relevant obligations and requirements of section 29 including obtaining informed patient consent prior to prescribing the applicable medicine.