Sutent study results

[Bonni Hess]

Dear ASPS Community Friends,
The following article regarding the results of a study which was done with ASPS patients who were treated with Sutent (sunitinib) was posted in the August issue of the Liddy Shriver Foundation Electronic Sarcoma Update Newsletter:

Sunitinib in advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma: evidence of a direct antitumor effect
The purpose of this study was to confirm sunitinib activity in alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) and to report on new insights into the molecular bases thereof. From July 2007, nine patients with progressive metastatic ASPS received sunitinib 37.5 mg/day, within a named use program. Cryopreserved material was available for five naive patients, among whom three received sunitinib. Immunofluorescence (IF)/confocal microscopy, biochemical, and molecular/cytogenetic analyses were carried out, complemented by antiproliferative and activation assays in a short-term culture derived from one case. The results were as follows: All patients were eligible for response. Best RECIST response was partial response in five cases, stable disease in three, and progression in one. The median progression-free survival was 17 months. Positron emission tomography results were consistent. Two cases of interval progressions were recorded. Antiproliferative assays and biochemistry on short-term culture showed that sunitinib is able to markedly impair ASPS cells growth and switch-off PDGFRB. IF/confocal microscopy demonstrated coexpression and physical association between PDGFRB/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and RET/VEGFR2 in ASPS cells, which was validated by biochemistry. PDGFRB, RET, and MET ligand-dependent activation was confirmed. The study concludes: There is clinical efficacy of sunitinib in ASPS, mediated by PDGFRB, VEGFR2, and RET, which are all expressed in tumor cells. A direct antitumor effect was shown in a short-term cell culture.

With special caring thoughts and continued Hope,
Bonni

[Olga]

Thanks Bonni,
for the people who want to use this article to get insurance pay for the sunitinib treatment, this is the link to an article with its publication data:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term ... 2021242589

Ann Oncol. 2011 Jul;22(7):1682-90. Epub 2011 Jan 17.
Sunitinib in advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma: evidence of a direct antitumor effect.
Stacchiotti S, Negri T, Zaffaroni N, Palassini E, Morosi C, Brich S, Conca E, Bozzi F, Cassinelli G, Gronchi A, Casali PG, Pilotti S.
Source

Department of Cancer Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy. silvia.stacchiotti@istitutotumori.mi.it

PMID: 21242589