Votrient and Sutent Effective in Treating Advanced Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer drugs, Votrient and Sutent, may work well as in treating advanced kidney cancer but may have mild side effects, according to a study released Thursday.

The research which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine claimed that Pazopanib or Votrient can boost kidney cancer survival while improving quality of life.

"Kidney cancer has long been considered one of the most difficult-to-treat cancers, and is associated with a poor prognosis when it's metastasized or spreading," said lead researcher Dr. Robert Motzer, oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

The new trial focused on a head-to-head comparison of sunitib (Sutent) and pazopanib (Votrient).

The researchers found that both had similar safety profile and survival benefit but pazopanib showed milder side effects like fewer sores on the bottom of the feet and less feelings of fatigue.

"The data also suggest that patients who took pazopanib have a better quality of life than patients on sunitib," said Motzer.

Both drugs cost roughly the same - about $6,500 a month and are both covered by Medicare and other private insurers, according to News Health.

"Both of these drugs are good options for first-line treatment," said Motzer.

The trial was funded for by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, the maker of pazopanib.