Targeted therapy for kidney cancer

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are a type of targeted therapy used to treat kidney cancer. Kinases are proteins in the body. They regulate how cells grow and divide. TKIs block the proteins from sending signals within the cancer cells. This causes the cells to die.

Some drugs also stop the cancer cells from developing new blood vessels. This reduces their supply of oxygen and nutrients, so the tumour shrinks or stops growing.

These are the TKIs used to treat renal cell cancer (RCC), which is the most common type of kidney cancer:

• sunitinib (Sutent^®)
• pazopanib (Votrient^®)
• tivozanib (Fotivda^®)
• cabozantinib (Cabometyx^®)
• axitinib (Inlyta^®)
• lenvatinib (Kisplyx^®), which is given in combination with a different type of targeted therapy called everolimus – everolimus can also be used on its own.

Each type of targeted therapy drug has its own side effects. The most common side effects include:

• tiredness
• feeling sick (nausea)
• sore mouth
• diarrhoea
• skin rashes
• sore hands and feet
• high blood pressure
• change in hair colour
• the thyroid gland not working properly (underactive thyroid)..

Your cancer doctor or specialist nurse will give you information about the likely side effects of your treatment. They will also tell you what can be done to help control and manage them.

Wounds may take longer to heal when you are having treatment with targeted therapy drugs. You may need to stop treatment before having an operation or dental treatment. Your doctor will talk to you about this.

Targeted therapy drugs can react with some medicines and foods. Before you start treatment, tell your cancer doctor about any medicines you are taking. You should also tell your GP that you are having targeted therapy treatment. Your doctors can tell you whether there are any foods you should avoid.

We have information about individual targeted therapy drugs, how they are given and their side effects.