Update on Suntent (Sunitinib)

Many thanks to Claire for responding to my previous post on Suntent (Sunitinib) and giving some good websites. Suntent also has their own website with a lot of interesting information members might want to read about the drug. It is becoming a first line drug of choice for kidney cancer. Below is their site:

http://www.sutent.com/RCC/rcc_how_sutent_works.aspx

They show on their site how the cells divide and how the drug is being used to prevent the cells from dividing which is the cause for the growth of cancer. It also shows how the tumor is fed by small blood vessels that provide oxygen and nutrients to the tumor. The drug also targets the blood vessel so that the tumor dies because it doesn't get the oxygen or nutrients.

This drug is also used for "gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Apparently in using this drug for these 2 uses they found it is also effective on bladder cancers. Maybe one blood vessel feeding a tumor in one location such as the kidney or stomach is like any other blood vessel feeding a tumor in a place like the bladder. I don't Know. But it seems to hold out some hope that this "targeted " type of therapy is moving along and may be helpful under certain conditions to people with bladder cancer.

R2D2