Sorafenib suspends progression in renal cancer

Sorafenib [BAY 439006] delays disease progression in patients with advanced renal cancer, according to studies presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) [Orlando, Florida, US; May 2005]. A phase III study involving > 700 patients with advanced renal cancer showed that sorafenib recipients had double the progression-free survival duration of patients in the placebo group. Furthermore, the majority of patients receiving sorafenib had a reduction from baseline in tumour size. This study confirms the findings of a phase II trial, the final results of which were also presented at the meeting.