Sutent after Torisel?

Hi,

 My dad was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in Nov. '07. He had his kidney removed later that month and by January it had spread to his lungs. The scan showed over 70 tumors in his lungs, some 4cm large. He was give 2 weeks to live, but they started him on Torisel anyway. Well it worked, for about 8 months anyway. The tumors had shrunk down to less than 1cm and most of them were gone. He felt great and was able to go back to work and play with his 6 grandchildren. Then late in August his breathing got worse. The tumors have started growing again. They are about 2cm now. His doctors have started him on Sutent. But everything I've seen has been people trying Sutent THEN Torisel. Not the other way around. does anyone know anything about going from Torisel to Sutent?

 Thanks for your information!

Mandy

Hi Mandy,

I haven't heard anything reagrding this, but am planning on doing it too. I have been on Torisel for 14 weeks now and am due for a scan Oct 1st.  I am hoping the Torisel may last long enough for me to go onto Rad 001 but it probably won't. My second choice is to go to Sutent, also.

Last Oct at the Kidney cancer conference in Boston, they were talking about sutent after Nexavar and vice versa, with both of them having respectable results as a second line med.

Would like to stay advised on your dad's progress.

Thanks, Bill

So far he has been on it for 2 weeks, but he doesn't seem to be getting better. He is VERY tired and still coughing a lot. But they said it could take 2 cycles for him to have results. I will keep you posted, and good luck with you scan coming up!

Mandy,

My dad is about the same as yours. He was diagnosed and had his kidney removed in Sept of last year. His spread to his bones first and now to his lungs too many to count. He was on torisel and had radiation to his bone areas with acute kidney failure and had to stop and put on dialysis so no treatments for 2 months while kidney was out. Lucky his kidney funtion came back so no more dialysis, but a new scan showed the Lung lesions. So now he is on Sutent..three weeks now and so far little side effects. He had some with torisel and the kidnsy failure was the biggest side effect that almost killed him. So we keep our fingers crossed for our dads. I know how hard this is. Hang in there. My thoughts and prayers are with you.  I am not sure when my dad is having another scan.

Christie

Dear Mandy,

When I first went to see my ONCOLOGIST at Swedish Hospital Cancer Center in Seattle, Wa (Nov 06) he started me on Sutent 50 mg. He told me Sutent showed the highest percentage of success compared to the other medicines available. I took Sutent for 12 cycles (72 weeks) before it stopped working for me. The next drug I was put on was Avastin given once every 3 weeks by IV. Again, my dr said it was the drug that had the next highest success amoung patients. It didnt work for me. Each time, I was on these medicines for 3 months before a CAT Scan was done. 

I have been on Torisel now for 16 weeks with great results. Initially, I was started on 25 mg which caused mouth sores so bad I couldnt eat and lost about 20 lbs. We changed the doseage lowering it to 20 mg then to 15 mg which is where I am at now. My scans two weeks ago showed all of the tumors I have left have shrunk.

I will suggest that you have your dad religiously use the salt water (1 tbsp)/baking soda (1 Tbsp) and water mixture (8 oz) that is recommended by the manufacturer. When I use it I have been able to keep control of the mouth sores when I dont they get so bad I cant talk.

While reading this msg board and the kidney cancer board I have read about patients receiving Torisel, Avastin, Nexavar, Sutent, and IL-2 in a variety of different patterns. I havent heard of anything that establishes which one to give first. My Oncologist's explaination on the order in which he gives the medicine seemed logical to me and in my best interest. I liked the idea of taking the treatment that have resulted in the best results amoung the patients it has been given to. 

If I can help in anyway or if you have further questions feel free to ask. Good luck with your dad's treatment!

Terry