Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma accounts for 2–3% of all adult malignancies worldwide, and around 30% of patients with the condition present with advanced or metastatic disease.1,2 Until recently, cytokine therapy (e.g. interleukin-2 or interferon-alfa) was the standard treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma but provided only a small survival advantage (e.g. extending life by a median of 2.5 months).3 A key development has been the introduction of drugs known as receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which include ▼sunitinib (Sutent – Pfizer), ▼sorafenib (Nexavar – Bayer) and ▼pazopanib (Votrient – GlaxoSmithKline). Here we review the evidence on the efficacy, tolerability and cost-effectiveness of these treatments in renal cell carcinoma.