Sutent help

Hi,

I recently started on a clinical trial for non-small cell lung cancer and am taking Sutent, 37.5 mg daily.  I know this drug has been used for RCC for some time now so I hope someone here may have some advise about side effects.  I'm in my 4th week of treatment, and so far it has not been bad.  I have the fatigue that I've seen mentioned, and some slight nausea at times.   Food tastes weird - what I've realized is that I can't taste salt!  So most foods taste kind of bland.  Has anyone else had that problem?  Do the side effects seem to lessen over time?  Any hints for the fatigue?

Thanks for your help! 

On 3/15/2009 Petunia55 wrote:

Hi,

I recently started on a clinical trial for non-small cell lung cancer and am taking Sutent, 37.5 mg daily.  I know this drug has been used for RCC for some time now so I hope someone here may have some advise about side effects.  I'm in my 4th week of treatment, and so far it has not been bad.  I have the fatigue that I've seen mentioned, and some slight nausea at times.   Food tastes weird - what I've realized is that I can't taste salt!  So most foods taste kind of bland.  Has anyone else had that problem?  Do the side effects seem to lessen over time?  Any hints for the fatigue?

Thanks for your help! 

You might want to try B12.  I am on Sutent, 50 mg., & nothing has stopped me yet from doing anything.  I started taking B12, by pill, a month before I started Sutent to get it into my system.  You can get B12 injections.  I am on my 2nd cyle, 4th week, & so far so good.  Pretty much my 2nd cycle has been like the first, no new symptoms.  Blood pressure is elevated a bit more but overall I'm very pleased.  Last cycle my taste buds were off for a couple of days & this cycle they have been okay.  Good luck & hope the Sutent works for you.

Thank You!  I'll give the B-12 a try - I actually had a B-12 injection before I started this trial because it was a requirement for the other drug in the trial, Alimta.  I'm also taking Folic Acid.

Since I first wrote I did develop another side effect of the Sutent - I had a blister like rash on my fingers and hands - it looked like a burn.  Turns out it is a known side effect of Sutent but not the most common skin problem.  They took me off the drug for a week and I used a steroid cream and it's healing now.  I still have the fatigue, and my taste is a bit off.

The best news of all is that I had my first scans since starting the Sutent, and they showed improvement!  That's the first time since I've started treatment that there was improvement.  So I'm staying on Sutent for now - I'm still at 37.5 mg daily.

I hope you continue to do well too.