New cancer drug Torisol was approved on Wednesday by the FDA for use with renal cell carcinoma, an advanced form of kidney cancer.Torisol, also known as temsirolimus, is an enzyme inhibitor made by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and has shown promise for prolonging patient survival. It's the third kidney cancer drug approved in the past 18 months -- the other two are Nexavar, intended to delay disease progression, and Sutent, for tumor size reduction.
Many kidney cancer patients are cured by surgery. About 35 percent of patients, however, experience a recurrence or a spread of the disease. Until just recently, there were no effective drugs to control these issues. Now there are several -- and Torisol is the one showing modest improvement in survival for patients with the most advanced tumors. Further study will indicate whether or not the drug is useful for patients with less extensive metastatic disease.
1. Finally, a site with the facts. Toriesel, as I understand it, is for people with very advanced kidney cancer who are looking for months, not years. I see that many sites and message boards are holding out to be something entirely different and many who are just tired of the SEs from Sutent and Nexavar looking for relief and, maybe this one will do it. But from what I read it is much more last stand than anything else and not a replacement for sutent or Nexavar. Am I wrong?
David Foster
www.mpablog.typepad.com/david_foster
Posted at 11:13PM on Jun 22nd 2007 by David Foster