A phase II safety and efficacy study of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib in patients with metastatic urothelial cancer.

BACKGROUND

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is produced by bladder cancer cell lines in vitro and expressed in human bladder tumor tissues. Pazopanib is a vascular endothelial receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor with anti-angiogenesis and anti-tumor activity in several preclinical models. A 2-stage phase II study was conducted to assess the activity and toxicity profile of pazopanib in patients with metastatic, urothelial carcinoma.

METHODS

Patients with one prior systemic therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma were eligible. Patients received pazopanib at a dose of 800 mg orally for a 4-week cycle.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients were enrolled. No grade 4 or 5 events were experienced. Nine patients experienced 11 grade 3 adverse events. Most common toxicities were anemia, thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, and fatigue. For stage I, none of the first 16 evaluable patients were deemed a success (complete response or partial response) by the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors criteria during the first four 4-week cycles of treatment. Median progression-free survival was 1.9 months. This met the futility stopping rule of interim analysis, and therefore the trial was recommended to be permanently closed.

CONCLUSIONS

Pazopanib did not show significant activity in patients with urothelial carcinoma. The role of anti-VEGF therapies in urothelial carcinoma may need further evaluation in rational combination strategies.