TUESDAY, Dec. 20, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- The Bayer Pharmaceuticals drug Nexavar (sorafenib tosylate) was approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer.
In two clinical studies, the drug extended the time before tumor progression or death; in the larger trial the time was extended to an average of 167 days compared to 84 days among people who weren't treated with Nexavar.
In the United States, kidney cancer accounts for about 3 percent of adult cancers, the FDA said. Some 32,000 cases are diagnosed each year and about 12,000 people die, according to the American Cancer Society.
Kidney cancer most often strikes people between 50 and 70, affecting men almost twice as often as women, the FDA said.
Documented side effects of Nexavar include rash, diarrhea, rise in blood pressure, and swelling or blisters on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
More information
To learn more about kidney cancer, visit the National Library of Medicine.
