The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued final guidance recommending the use of sunitinib (Sutent) as a first-line treatment option for people with advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma who are suitable for immunotherapy and who are well enough to tolerate the treatment.

Click here to read the full guidance.

Rarer Cancers Forum warmly welcomes NICE's decision which will bring hope to many patients with kidney cancer.  However, sunitinib is not suitable for all kidney cancer patients and it is imperative that more treatment choices are available. A decision from NICE is still to be made on three other drugs for kidney cancer patients: bevacizumab (Avastin), sorafenib (Nexavar) and temsirolimus (Torisel).