The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today published its Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) in which it recommends sunitinib (Sutent) for the first-line treatment of advanced and/or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

The Appraisal Committee "acknowledged the comments that were received from people with RCC and the public, and that were summarised in a report, stating that some people with RCC had experienced significant improvements in their quality of life as a result of using sunitinib".

The Committee also took into account NICE's new flexible approach which applies to treatments which may extend the life of people with a short life expectancy. The Committee "was satisfied that sunitinib currently meets the criteria for being a life-extending end-of-life treatment..." 

The manufacturer of sunitinib (Pfizer) has agreed a patient access scheme with the Department of Health, in which the first treatment cycle of sunitinib is free to the NHS.

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). 

NICE's decision applies to patients in England and Northern Ireland. In Wales Health Minister Edwina Hart decided last month to introduce an interim arrangement to allow patients in Wales to have greater NHS access to bevacizumab (Avastin), sorafenib (Nexavar), sunitinib (Sutent) and temsirolimus (Torisel) for use in advanced renal cancer.