Renal Cell Carcinoma - is avaston a kinase inhibitor like sutent is? anyone stage 4 with mets had?

dunn25,

Avastin is not a protein kinase inhibitor like Sutent or Nexavar. These agents work at a point in the cell cycle to block the processes that create blood vessels to the tumor.

While Avasin does the same type of thing, it is what as known as a monoclonal antibody. In renal cell cancer, it is to be used with another agent known as interferon-alpha.

There is second group of kinase inhibitors that work at blocking a different cellular pathway in tumor development. mTOR inhibitors work by
disrupting blood vessel development. These drugs are available orally, (Afinitor), or as an IV preperation, (Toricel).

While all these agents have many of the same activities, (that is, strangling, suffocating or poisioing the developing tumor cells), they can be used at different points in stageIV renal cell cancer. The physician has many more effective choices than he did a few years ago.

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And, of course, each agent has unique side effects. So, while you may not be able to tolerate one drug, you might do much better on another.

Hope that helps,
Pete