Efficacy and Safety of Sunitinib in Elderly Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma at a University Hospital in Japan: Before Immuno-Oncology Therapy Era

Introduction: The efficacy and safety of sunitinib in elderly patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains poorly documented. Methods: We assessed the efficacy and safety of sunitinib in first-line treatment of advanced RCC in the aged by reviewing the medical records of patients at Jichi Medical University Hospital, Japan. The patients were stratified into age < 75 (n = 38) and ≥ 75 (n = 9) years groups. Results: Median progression-free survival in younger and older patients was comparable, at 7.3 vs. 6.7 months, respectively (HR, 1.101; 95% CI: 0.399-3.039; p = 0.8532). Median overall survival was also comparable, at 19.2 vs. 11.8 months (HR, 0.775; 95% CI: 0.349-1.719; p = 0.5299). Younger and older patients did not significantly differ in the frequency of any grade and grade 3 or more adverse events, or in the incidence of patients with grade 3 or more adverse events. Conclusions: Treatment with sunitinib is effective and safe in elderly patients with advanced RCC although the limited sample size for older group can cause weak statistical power and only patients with no severe comorbidities were selected.