Sutent vs. Opdivo

Sutent (sunitinib malate) and Opdivo (nivolumab) are antineoplastic (anti-cancer) drugs used to treat different types of cancers.

Sutent is used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumor after disease progression on, or intolerance to imatinib mesylate, for advanced renal cell carcinoma, and for progressive, well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease.

Opdivo is used to treat patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma and disease progression following ipilimumab and, if BRAF V600 mutation positive, a BRAF inhibitor; and to treat metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

Sutent and Opdivo are different types of antineoplastic (anti-cancer) drugs. Sutent is a multi-kinase inhibitor and Opdivo is a human monoclonal antibody.

Side effects of Sutent and Opdivo that are similar include cough, nausea, vomiting, constipation, joint pain, fatigue, weakness, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin rash, loss of appetite, pain or swelling in the arms or legs, numbness or tingling, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat.

Side effects of Sutent that are different from Opdivo include unusual or unpleasant taste in the mouth, upset stomach, dry skin or cracked skin, changes in skin or hair color (yellow skin or lighter skin/hair), hair loss, back pain, tiredness, mouth pain/sores, blisters or rash on hands or feet, shortness of breath, bleeding, watery eyes, swelling around the eyes, and general ill feeling.

Side effects of Opdivo that are different from Sutent include itching, upper respiratory tract infection, muscle pain, swelling, weight loss, eye inflammation, infusion-related reactions, increased amylase, increased lipase, dizziness, skin peeling, skin redness, and psoriasis.

Sutent may interact with dexamethasone, imatinib, isoniazid, nefazodone, St. John's wort, antibiotics, antifungals, barbiturates, heart or blood pressure medications, HIV/AIDS medicines, medicines to treat narcolepsy, medications to treat osteoporosis or Paget's disease of bone, seizure medications, or grapefruit and grapefruit juice.

Opdivo may interact with other drugs.

Common side effects of Sutent include:

Side effects of Sutent include:

• unusual or unpleasant taste in the mouth
• cough
• nausea
• vomiting
• upset stomach
• constipation
• dry skin
• changes in skin or hair color (yellow skin or lighter skin/hair)
• hair loss
• joint pain
• back pain
• fatigue
• tiredness
• weakness
• fever
• diarrhea
• mouth pain/sores
• abdominal pain
• rash or other skin changes such as dry or cracked skin
• blisters or rash on hands or feet
• loss of appetite
• pain or swelling in the arms or legs
• numbness or tingling of the arms or legs
• shortness of breath
• bleeding
• watery eyes
• swelling around the eyes
• chest pain
• general ill feeling, or
• uneven heart rate.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Sutent including:

• headache,
• easy bruising or bleeding,
• swelling ankles or feet,
• unusual weight changes,
• cold or heat intolerance,
• unusual tiredness,
• black or bloody stools,
• vomit that looks like coffee grounds,
• coughing up blood,
• slow wound healing,
• jaw pain,
• toe/joint/back pain,
• painful urination,
• cloudy/pink/bloody urine,
• changes in the amount of urine,
• muscle weakness/cramping/twitching,
• signs of low blood sugar (such as hunger, shakiness, fast heartbeat, sweating),
• mental/mood changes (such as decreased alertness, irritability, nervousness), or
• vision changes (such as decreased vision).

Common side effects of Opdivo include:

• fatigue
• rash
• itching
• cough
• upper respiratory tract infection
• swelling of the extremities
• shortness of breath
• muscle pain
• decreased appetite
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• diarrhea
• weakness
• swelling
• fever
• abdominal pain
• chest pain
• joint pain
• weight loss
• irregular heartbeat
• eye inflammation
• infusion-related reactions
• increased amylase
• increased lipase
• dizziness
• numbness and tingling
• skin peeling
• skin redness and
• psoriasis.

Sutent (sunitinib malate) is a multi-kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor after disease progression on, or intolerance to imatinib mesylate, for advanced renal cell carcinoma, and for progressive, well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease. Sutent is available in generic form.

Opdivo (nivolumab) is a human monoclonal antibody used to treat patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma and disease progression following ipilimumab and, if BRAF V600 mutation positive, a BRAF inhibitor; and to treat metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

Sutent may interact with dexamethasone, imatinib, isoniazid, nefazodone, St. John's wort, antibiotics, antifungals, barbiturates, heart or blood pressure medications, HIV/AIDS medicines, medicines to treat narcolepsy, medications to treat osteoporosis or Paget's disease of bone, seizure medications, or grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Opdivo may interact with other drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

The recommended dose of Sutent (strengths available are 12.5, 25 and 50mg tablets). Sutent may be taken without food. Dose modification depends on the type of cancer treated and is determined by the treating doctor. Severe side effects include hepatotoxicity.

The recommended dose of Opdivo depends on the condition being treated and whether Opdivo is being administered as a single agent or in combination with another drug.