FDA Approves Pfizer’s Drug Sutent To Treat Rare Form of Pancreatic Cancer

The Food and Drug Administration May 20 said it approved Sutent (sunitinib) to treat patients with progressive neuroendocrine cancerous tumors (NET) located in the pancreas that cannot be removed by surgery or that have spread to other parts of the body.

Neuroendocrine tumors found in the pancreas are slow-growing and rare. It is estimated that there are fewer than 1,000 new cases in the United States each year, according to FDA.

The Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee in April voted 8-2 that the benefit/risk profile for Sutent was favorable for treating patients with unresectable pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (9 PLIR 475, 4/15/11