Votrient® Improves Survival for Soft-Tissue Sarcoma, Particularly After One Prior Line of Therapy

Votrient® (pazopanib) improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with soft-tissue sarcoma, according to results from the phase III PALETTE trial published in BMC Cancer.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study compared the safety and efficacy of the oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib 800 mg once daily (n=246; median age, 54 years; 60% female) versus placebo in adults with advanced soft-tissue sarcoma whose disease had progressed during or after prior chemotherapy. Among the patient cohort that received pazopanib, 110 had received one prior line of therapy and 136 had received two or more prior lines of therapy.

Improved survival with pazopanib

The median PFS was longer in patients who received just one prior line if therapy (24.7 weeks) versus two or more (18.9 weeks). The median PFS was similar in patients aged <65 years (20.0 weeks) and ≥65 years (20.1 weeks). Rates of adverse events (AEs) were similar between these groups.

Treatment-related AEs occurred in 93% of patients <65 years of age versus 85% of patients ≥65 years of age. Older patients were more likely to discontinue treatment (≥65 years, 30%; <65 years, 17%); however, rates of dose reductions, dose interruptions, and serious AEs were similar between the two age groups.

Dose reduction or interruption due to AEs did not impact median PFS.