Fatigue Among the Most Common Toxicities in TKI Treatment

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) remains one of the most common toxicities in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and should be properly recognized, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.

Deepa Anand, MD, and Carmen Escalante, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston looked at patient data pulled from articles published in PubMed, Ovid, Embase, and MEDLINE between 1975 and 2014.

They conducted a narrative review with regards to incidence, pathophysiology, and management of CRF in patients with RCC who had undergone targeted therapy with TKIs.

“Although evolving data suggest these drugs may be beneficial in RCC, they are associated with significant toxicities,” the authors noted.

They concluded that CRF was one of the most common TKI toxicities in patients with metastatic RCC, and is often the dose-limiting toxicity.

Non-pharmacological and pharmacologic interventions may me necessary in the management of TKI-related CRF.

“It is important to recognize this common, yet frequently underdiagnosed complication and initiate appropriate management strategies, in order to increase the likelihood for optimal outcomes,” they concluded.

Reference

1. Anand, Deepa, MD, et al. “Ongoing Screening and Treatment to Potentially Reduce TKI-Related Fatigue in Renal Cell Carcinoma.” Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.02.007. [epub ahead of print]. February 19, 2015.